BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

x10 8 6 3

uK 9 3

vJ 10 9 8

wQ 2

WEST EAST

xK J 4 x9 7 2

u8 7 6 4 2 uQ 5

vK 7 4 3 v6

w3 wK J 10 9 8 7 4

SOUTH

xA Q 5

uA J 10

vA Q 5 2

wA 6 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass 3w 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of w

Today’s deal is from a team match played in India. The auction was the same at both tables. At one table, declarer won the opening club lead, knowing that it was a singleton, and immediately ran the jack of hearts through West, ending up down four.

At the other table, the declarer was a player known to us only as Bendre. He also knew that the lead was a singleton, but he ducked the first round anyway just to see what West would discard on the second club. That discard was a heart as South, won the second club. Bendre led the jack of hearts to the king and ran the eight of diamonds. When this held the trick, he continued with a diamond to his queen, losing to West’s king. West should have exited with a diamond, just to keep declarer in the dark about the heart suit, but he knew that he could do no harm by leading a heart. West exited with a heart, perhaps hoping that South had started with ace-jack doubleton.

Bendre captured East’s queen of hearts with the ace, cashed the 10 of hearts, and then cashed his two diamond winners, ending in dummy. He now led a spade to his queen and West’s king. West cashed his remaining heart before leading his low spade. All that was left was for Bendre to decide which spade to play from dummy. He was up to the task, rising with dummy’s 10 of spades to bring home his contract. Well done!

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