Bridge

North’s cue-bid of 2S showed a sound raise to 3H. An immediate response of 3H instead would have shown four-card heart support but a weak hand. How would you tackle the heart game when West leads a trump? Declarer won in the dummy and played a club to the jack and king. He won the trump return and cross-ruffed in the minor suits, removing West’s holdings in those suits. When the third and fourth rounds of clubs were ruffed, West discarded the two and queen of spades. Declarer finally drew West’s last trump, leaving himself (in a three-card ending) with K9-6 of spades in his hand and 7-5-4 in dummy. He then had to judge how to end-play West. If West had started with A-Q-J-10-2 in the spade suit, declarer would have to play a low spade. If instead East held the singleton jack or 10, the king would work better. Declarer reasoned that if West had started with A-Q-J-10-2, he would surely have spared a higher spade than the two for his first discard. The chosen exit card was therefore the king of spades. Game made! West had to win with the ace and concede the final trick to the spade nine.

When partner’s pre-empt is a vulnerable one, the odds are reasonable that the diamond suit will be good for seven tricks. Of course, you will go three or four down when his diamonds are not enough,. You must grin and bear such occasions, thinking of all the similar games that you do make. Award: 3NT-10, 5D-7, Pass-6, 4D-4.

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