BRIDGE
Little 'uns'
Andrew Robson
IT is always satisfying to make the 'spot cards' cards work. Hard as it is to believe, the V 'pips' are relevant all the way down to V4 on this week's deal.
Dealer South Both vulnerable 4 Q 7 VK 7 5 3 • K 9 6 4 3 +6 5 42 VQ 6 2 *J 5 +A K Q J83 2
N
W E S
4J 8 5 VA J 104 *0 7 2 +9 4 3 4A K 109 6 4 3 V9 8 *A 10 8 +10 The Bidding South West North East 14 2+ pass 3+ 34 4+ 44 pass pass pass West led +A and, realising from his partner's supporting bid that no more +s were cashable, switched correctly to V2. Taking the view that West would have been unlikely to have underled VA, declarer played low from dummy and East won 1110. East then led a second + and declarer trumped. Faced with the third round • loser in addition to another V, declarer's task was not easy. Can you see how to make the contract?
Declarer led his second V— V9 — and West (correctly) covered with VQ. Declar- er played dummy's 11K. and East took VA and switched to a trump. Declarer rose with 4K, crossed to 4Q in dummy and led V7. If East had played low then declarer would have discarded his third • with West following helplessly with V6. In fact, East chose to cover V7 with VJ. Declarer trumped, noting the fall of West's V6. He drew East's 4J with 4A, crossed to •K and cashed V5, East following morosely with V4.
West was left to rue his timidity in the auction. 5+ is only one down at worst and will make if the defence start with two rounds of 4s and North discards even one Von the run of the 44s.
Previous page
