With Tannah Hirsch and Bob Jones
East-West vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
S-A 9 7 6
H-10 2
D-K J 9 6
C-J 10 7
WEST EAST
S-J 3 2 S-5 4
H-6 H-K Q J 9 8 7
D-4 3 D-Q 10 8 5
C-A Q 9 8 6 5 3 C-4
SOUTH
S-K Q 10 8
H-A 5 4 3
D-A 7 2
C-K 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1NT Pass 2C 2H
2S Pass 4S Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Six of H
East-West had a conventional agreement about a two-club overcall, accounting for West’s silence. A two-club bid would not have shown clubs. He wasn’t willing to risk a three-club bid at this vulnerability. East chimed in with his excellent suit, but North-South still reached game easily. Could they make it?
South won the opening heart lead, an obvious singleton, and cashed his king and queen of trumps. Next came a trump to dummy’s ace, East discarding a heart. Declarer ran the jack of clubs, losing to the queen, and West shifted to a diamond — nine, 10, ace. South now led the king of clubs, losing to the ace as East shed another heart.
West played a second diamond and the hand was an open book to South. He knew East started with two spades, six hearts, and one club, therefore four diamonds. The diamond queen had to be with East. South went up with dummy’s king, leaving this position:
NORTH
S-9
H-10
D-J 6
C-10
WEST EAST
S-Void S-Void
H-Void H-K Q 9
D-9 8 6 5 3 D-Q 8
C-Void C-Void
SOUTH
S-10
H-5 4 3
D-7
C-Void
South cashed dummy’s 10 of clubs, discarding a diamond from hand and East was cooked. A diamond discard would allow South to ruff out his queen, so he discarded another heart. South next led dummy’s remaining heart and East had a “Hobson’s choice” — either lead away from his diamond queen or establish South’s five of hearts. “What a fine mess this is,” thought East, as he conceded the contract.
(Tannah Hirsch and Bob Jones welcome readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001. E-mail responses may be sent to
.)
