BRIDGE

BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, South deals

NORTH

x9 8 7 6

u10 7 2

vQ 7

wJ 8 4 2

WEST EAST

xA J 5 3 2 xQ 4

u9 5 4 uQ 6 3

v10 9 6 4 vJ 8 5 2

w3 wQ 10 6 5

SOUTH

xK 10

uA K J 8

vA K 3

wA K 9 7

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w Pass 2v Pass

3NT All pass

Opening lead: 10 of v

An avid bridge player might hold a hand like today’s South hand once in a lifetime. It is fun to count the points, but it can be difficult to bid and play as partner may not offer much help.

Today’s deal is another from last summer’s Yeh Brothers Cup. In a team match, both declarers reached three no trump on differing auctions. Both received a diamond lead, both won the lead in their hand with the ace, and both started by cashing the ace and king of clubs. They chose different lines from that point on.

At one table, declarer played the ace, king, and a third heart. This would have worked had the queen of hearts fallen singleton or doubleton, and it would leave the queen of diamonds in dummy as an entry for the spade finesse. Nothing went declarer’s way on this lie of the cards, and he drifted down one.

At the other table, declarer led a diamond to dummy’s queen and then a heart back to his jack. When that held and the hearts split 3-3, he had his nine tricks. Had the jack lost to the queen, the 10 would then be an entry to dummy to try the spade finesse. Should the queen of hearts not drop in three rounds, South could cash his high diamond and exit with a heart. The defense could cash one or two diamonds, but they would have to play a spade for him eventually. Seems like the right line of play to us.

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