BRIDGE
Two into one
Andrew Robson
HOW often have you played a super con- tract that is wrecked by a foul trump break? Polly Duxbury recovered from the shock and condensed two seemingly cer- tain trump losers into one.
Dealer South Both vulnerable 4A Q 5 4 2 V J 3 4K 108 ♦ 8 7 • J 107 J 107
6 5
4 • K Q +0865 4J 9 6 3 rK 109 5 4 • — +9 4 3 2
2 4 3 2
N
W E ♦ A • A 7 Q 6 9 8 +A K
South West North 1* pass 2, pass 3• pass 4NT pass pass pass North's 34 bid did not show +s, but was `fourth suit forcing', showing game values and asking partner for further information. The fact that he held four +s was coinci- dental. South, having already shown five • s and four Vs, rebid 3• to show her sixth • . North tried 3NT but South was worth one move towards slam. Her 4NT was not Blackwood, as the last bid was in no- trumps, rather it was a quantitative slam try. North jumped to 6•, the known eight- card fit, an excellent slam. West led 4J and declarer won 4K and led a • to dummy's queen. All set to romp home on a more normal trump break, East discarding (a V) was a major blow, but Polly taught us all a lesson by keeping her cool. She cashed 4A, played a 4 to dummy's queen, cashed 4A and 4Q, discarding Vs, and trumped a 4. She led to •K and played a ♦ to the queen. Her second finesse had succeeded and she was now in a position to cash VA and reach the following three-card ending. Her hand was •A98 and West's •J107. She led •8 which West won with •10; at trick 12, West was endplayed to lead from • J7 into declarer's •A9.West missed the best opening lead — he should have led a 4. Declarer would be most unlikely to finesse 40 before she knew of the 5-0 trump split. East 14 3+ 3NT 6• pass pass pass pass
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