BRIDGE

BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xA K 5

uA K 7 3

vQ J 9 4 2

w3

WEST EAST

xJ 6 3 x8

u10 8 5 uQ J 9 4 2

vA 6 vK 10 8 7 3

wJ 9 6 4 2 wQ 7

SOUTH

xQ 10 9 7 4 2

u6

v5

wA K 10 8 5

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v 1u 1x- 2u

3u Pass 4w Pass

4u Pass 5w Pass

6x All pass

-At least five spades

Opening lead: Eight of u

North had a difficult hand to bid. He loved his hand in support of spades, but he failed to consider some drawbacks. He had too much in hearts opposite partner’s known shortness and his club singleton wasn’t an asset when his partner bid clubs twice. He bid too much.

West might well have led his ace of diamonds against the slam, but his partner’s wafer-thin overcall persuaded him to lead his partner’s suit. South gleefully won the opening heart lead with dummy’s king and discarded his diamond on the heart ace. What now?

South led a club to his ace and ruffed a club, noting the fall of the queen. He ruffed a diamond, ruffed another club with a high trump in dummy, and ruffed another diamond back to his hand, noting the fall of the ace from West. West was virtually certain to have started with 3-3-2-5 distribution. He would surely have led the ace of diamonds if he held both the ace and king. Declarer ruffed his last low club with dummy’s last trump and ruffed a heart back to his hand.

South cashed the queen of trumps and led the 10 of trumps to West’s jack. West had nothing but a trump and a club left, so he had to put South back in his hand for the last two tricks. Well played!

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