BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, West deals

NORTH

xA Q 10 8

u9 5 4

vK Q 5 4 3

w10

WEST EAST

xK 4 3 xJ 9 7

uA Q J u7 2

vJ 7 6 vA 10 9 8 2

wA 5 4 2 w7 6 3

SOUTH

x6 5 2

uK 10 8 6 3

vVoid

wK Q J 9 8

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

1NT Pass Pass 2u-

Pass 4u All pass

-Hearts and a minor, at least 5-5

Opening lead: Three of x

Today’s deal was played some years ago by Danish expert Sebastian Kristensen. He won the opening spade lead with dummy’s queen and led the 10 of clubs to his queen and West’s ace. A low spade was won with dummy’s ace and the king of diamonds was led, covered by East, and ruffed by South.

Declarer reasoned that West would have continued with the king of spades, rather than a low one, if he held both the king and the jack, so he placed East with the spade jack. That meant that West had all three missing heart honors to make up his 15 point minimum. It looked like there were three certain trump losers, but Kristensen made one of them disappear.

Declarer ruffed a good club in dummy and cashed dummy’s queen of diamonds, discarding his remaining spade. He ruffed a diamond back to his hand and ruffed another good club in dummy. South then ruffed a spade in his hand, leaving this position:

NORTH

x10

u9

v5 4

wVoid

WEST EAST

xVoid xVoid

uA Q J u7 2

vVoid v10 9

w5 wVoid

SOUTH

xVoid

uK 10

vVoid

wK J

South ruffed another good club with dummy’s nine of hearts, and then led a spade, discarding his remaining club winner. West was forced to win and give South the king of hearts for his tenth trick. Note that declarer never scored a single club trick!

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