East-West not vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x9 5 3
uJ 8 7 3
vJ 9 5 4
wJ 2
WEST EAST
x8 7 6 xK Q J 2
u5 2 u9 6
vK Q 8 7 3 v10 6
wQ 7 6 wA K 10 9 3
SOUTH
xA 10 4
uA K Q 10 4
vA 2
w8 5 4
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 3u Dbl
4u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of v
Study the diagram and bidding of this deal and decide: Would you rather play or defend four hearts after the lead of the king of diamonds?
Nobody will argue that North’s heart jump was weak — very weak. Obviously, South expected a bit more and proceeded to game.
Suppose you elect to defend. Declarer wins the opening lead with the ace, draws trumps in two rounds and plays a diamond. You win with the queen and shift to a club. Partner takes two club winners, to complete the book, but that is all for the defense. Declarer wins the spade shift with the ace, crosses to dummy with a trump (or a club ruff) and discards his two spade losers on dummy’s winning diamonds to land his contract.
However, don’t elect to declare. You can defeat the contract if you are a more giving soul. When declarer leads a low diamond toward dummy, play low from your hand. Now South does not lose a diamond trick but, in the fullness of time, will have to concede two tricks in each black suit. Down one.
2008 Tribune Media Services
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