BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xK J 10 2

uQ 4

vK 7 4 3

wA 5 2

WEST EAST

xVoid x8 6 4 3

uJ 10 9 7 2 uA 8 6 5

vJ 9 5 vQ 10 6 2

wJ 9 8 7 4 w6

SOUTH

xA Q 9 7 5

uK 3

vA 8

wK Q 10 3

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x Pass

2x Pass 4NT Pass

5u- Pass 6x All pass

-Two key cards without the queen of spades

Opening lead: Jack of u

North-South were using a version of Blackwood known as Key-Card Blackwood. The king of trumps is treated as a fifth ace, with all five of these cards considered ”key cards.” The asker can also find out if partner holds the queen of trumps. That was irrelevant here, as the asker, South, held the queen himself, but it can be important on other deals. This treatment, or some variation of it, is standard among today’s tournament bridge players.

East won the opening heart lead with the ace and continued the suit to South’s king. A 2-2 or 3-1 trump split would make this hand a breeze, as declarer’s fourth club could be ruffed in dummy if the jack didn’t fall on the first three rounds of clubs. South cashed the ace of spades and discovered that trumps were splitting 4-0. What to do?

South’s first thought was to draw all of the trumps and rely on bringing in the club suit for four winners. That would have had a reasonable chance, but declarer came up with a plan that was even better -- a dummy reversal. South cashed the ace of diamonds, led a low diamond to dummy’s king, and ruffed a diamond. He crossed back to dummy with a spade to the 10 and ruffed dummy’s last diamond. The now singleton queen of spades was overtaken by dummy’s king and declarer continued with the jack of spades to finish drawing the last of East’s trumps. The only cards left were the three high clubs. Making six!

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