BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

x10 9 2

uA K 9 5 3

v6 3

wA J 2

WEST EAST

xK 7 5 x6 4

uJ 8 7 6 4 uQ 10

vJ 10 8 v9 7 5 4 2

w8 6 wQ 10 9 4

SOUTH

xA Q J 8 3

u2

vA K Q

wK 7 5 3

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1u Pass 1x Pass

2x Pass 4NT Pass

5u Pass 6x All pass

Opening lead: Jack of v

A good auction facilitated by North’s decision to raise spades at his second turn -- a decision most experts would agree with. A ruffing value, the doubleton diamond here, is a good indicator of when it is right to raise with only three-card support.

South won the opening diamond lead with the ace and crossed to dummy with the ace of hearts. He led the 10 of spades from dummy and ran it, but West followed low smoothly. Should declarer repeat the spade finesse, West would win and lead another spade, leaving South to rely on the losing club finesse. Down one.

South, a wily veteran, did not repeat the spade finesse. He saw that the contract was probably cold on a 3-2 trump split and had good chances even if East had four trumps to the king. South led a low trump to his ace and crossed back to dummy with the ace of clubs. He discarded a club on the king of hearts, then led a club to his king. Declarer cashed his two high diamonds, discarding a club from dummy, and ruffed his last club with dummy’s nine of spades. West could take his king of trumps whenever he wanted, but that was the only trick for the defense.

Oddly enough, it was not the doubleton diamond that made the North hand a good dummy; it was the ability to ruff a club combined with the good spot cards in spades.

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