BRIDGE

BRIDGE

East-West vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

x10 8 7 6 2

uA 8 5 3 2

vK J

w6

WEST EAST

xA 5 xK 9 3

uK 10 9 4 uJ 6

vQ 10 9 8 2 v5 3

w9 7 wK J 8 5 3 2

SOUTH

xQ J 4

uQ 7

vA 7 6 4

wA Q 10 4

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2u- Pass

2x Pass 3u Pass

3x Pass 4x All pass

-Transfer to spades

Opening lead: 10 of v

Aggressive bidding by North got South into a contract that was far from cold. Declarer was relieved when dummy’s jack of diamonds held the first trick. South tried a low heart to his queen at trick two, but this lost to West’s king. West shifted accurately to the ace of trumps and another trump. East won with his king and led a third trump, ending any chance for a heart ruff by declarer.

Should the hearts split 3-3, South could make his contract by playing the ace and another heart. That was against the odds, so South tried something else. He led a diamond to the king and then played off dummy’s remaining trumps, leaving this position:

NORTH

xVoid

uA 8 5 3

vVoid

w6

WEST EAST

xVoid xVoid

uK 10 uJ

vQ 10 9 vVoid

wVoid wK J 8 5

SOUTH

xVoid

u7

vA 7

wA Q

South led a club to his queen as West safely discarded a diamond. When South next cashed the ace of clubs, however, West had to give up. A diamond discard and both of South’s diamonds would be good. A heart and all of dummy’s hearts would be good. West, a true gentleman, just folded his cards and congratulated South for his fine play. West thought that a diamond shift by partner might have defeated the hand, but he was too polite to say so.

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