BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Neither vulnerable, North deals

NORTH

xA Q J

u10 9 4

vA J 5 3 2

wA Q

WEST EAST

xVoid xK 8 7 3 2

uK Q J 8 u6 3

vQ 9 8 6 vK 10 7

w9 8 6 5 3 wK 10 4

SOUTH

x10 9 6 5 4

uA 7 5 2

v4

wJ 7 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

1v Pass 1x Pass

2NT Pass 3u Pass

3x Pass 4x All pass

Opening lead: King of u

Agustin Madala is a member of the top Italian team -- one of the best in the world. We’re told that he was fluent in Italian after only two weeks there. He was invited to France for two weeks and returned fluent in French! He originally made a name for himself in his native Argentina. Madala was South, in today’s deal, played when he was 14 years old.

Madala ducked the opening heart lead, but won the heart continuation with the ace. He led a club to dummy’s queen and East’s king. East might have continued with another club, but he chose to lead a spade. A club, instead, might have ruined declarer’s timing.

Madala won with dummy’s jack, cashed the ace of diamonds, and ruffed a diamond. A club to dummy’s ace was followed by another diamond ruff. Madala cashed the jack of clubs and discarded dummy’s remaining heart, and then ruffed a heart with dummy’s ace of spades as East, down to only spades, under-ruffed. A diamond was led from dummy and there was nothing East could do. East chose to ruff with the seven of spades, over-ruffed by South with the nine. Madala led his last heart and ruffed with dummy’s queen. East over-ruffed with the king, but the 10 of spades was now Madala’s tenth trick. He had succeeded in his wafer-thin contract despite a 5-0 trump split!

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