BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

xK 10 8

u10 7 5 2

v9 7 5

wJ 10 5

WEST EAST

xQ 6 4 3 xJ 7 2

uK J 6 4 uA 9 8 3

vK 6 v10 2

w8 7 6 wK 9 3 2

SOUTH

xA 9 5

uQ

vA Q J 8 4 3

wA Q 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1u Pass

2NT Pass 3v Pass

3NT All pass

Opening lead: Three of x

The World Junior Championships were held late last year in conjunction with the World Championships in Poland. The bridge federation of Norway makes awards to Norwegians who have performed with distinction. The award for the best play by a junior was given to Christian Bakke, who was West in today’s deal.

We’re not sure why North bid three diamonds. Many would have passed, if not over one diamond, then surely over two no trump. The final contract was aggressive, but it had chances. Bakke got off to the normal, though unfortunate, spade lead. South captured East’s jack of spades with the ace at trick one and then led a spade to dummy’s 10. This was followed by a diamond to the queen, won by Bakke with the king. East followed suit with the 10 of diamonds, indicating a doubleton. Bakke, after some thought, led the only card in his hand that would defeat the contract -- the king of hearts!

The king felled the queen in declarer’s hand, so the defense quickly took four heart tricks to go with a diamond for down one. Nice shift! How did Bakke find this shift? He could count five diamond tricks and three spades for declarer. Should South have the ace of hearts, the contract was cold. Even if South had as little as the queen of clubs, the defense couldn’t hurt him in clubs. South couldn’t have three hearts or he would have shown them in the auction. Once Bakke was forced to play his partner for the ace of hearts, the king couldn’t hurt and it might be a big winner. It was!

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