BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xA 10 6 5

uA Q 6 4

v10 8

wJ 10 5

WEST EAST

xJ 2 xQ 9 8 7

u8 7 uJ 10 3 2

vK J 7 6 4 v9 5 3

wK Q 9 7 w6 4

SOUTH

xK 4 3

uK 9 5

vA Q 2

wA 8 3 2

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 3NT All pass

Opening lead: Six of v

When Plan ”A” fails, a good declarer will have a Plan ”B” to fall back on. Sometimes you have to go to Plan ”C.”

Some opening leads are just too hard. West led his fourth-best diamond, and when dummy’s 10 held the trick, declarer had his eighth trick. A club lead would also have provided the eighth trick. West cannot be faulted for his lead, despite the fact that either major would have worked better. South ran the jack of clubs at trick two, losing to West’s king. West was with the program now, and he shifted to the eight of hearts. That went to the 10 and king, and declarer followed by leading a heart to the ace and cashing the queen. When hearts failed to split 3-3, Plan ”A” was gone.

South now ran the 10 of clubs to West’s queen. Declarer ducked West’s shift to the jack of spades in both hands, but won the spade continuation in hand with the king. A spade to the ace revealed that spades also did not split 3-3. Plan ”B” was gone. South led a club to his ace, and when the clubs also failed to split 3-3, Plan ”C” was gone. Declarer went to Plan ”D” and exited with his last club. West won but was forced to lead a diamond into South’s ace-queen for nine tricks. Nice planning.

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