BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xA K 10

uA K 6 4

vK J 4

wK J 5

WEST EAST

x9 7 5 3 x8 4 2

uQ J 10 8 u9 7 3

v6 2 v7 5

wA 8 3 wQ 10 9 6 2

SOUTH

xQ J 6

u5 2

vA Q 10 9 8 3

w7 4

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

2NT Pass 4v Pass

4u Pass 6v Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of u

Left alone, declarer would have to guess the location of the club honors to make his slam. However, East decided to give declarer a helping hand.

North’s four hearts showed a maximum two no trump with good support for diamonds. South needed to hear no more to contract for slam, although it might have been wiser to bid six no trump and have the lead come up to the North hand rather than through it.

West led the queen of hearts and declarer could count 11 fast tricks in spades, hearts and trumps. It all boiled down to the missing club honors. Before committing to anything, declarer decided to win the heart in dummy and start running diamonds. On the third round of the suit, East discarded the ten of clubs.

Now our declarer was not born yesterday. South was faced with a crucial decision in clubs and here was one of his opponents, East, trying to lend a helping hand.

If indeed East held the ace of clubs, there was no reason to advertise it. A club trick was not going to run away so, if West did win a trick, the contract would go down one in good time.

That solved declarer’s problem. A low club was led and, when West followed with the three, declarer called for the king from dummy. When that held, 12 tricks were there for the taking.

2009 Tribune Media Services