BRIDGE

Great Danes

Andrew Robson

THE standard of bridge in Scandinavia is probably the highest in the world. Norway, Sweden and Denmark have all reached the semi-finals of the World Championships within the last decade and Iceland won it in 1991 — the first time they became world champions at anything.

Typically Scandinavians are aggressive bidders — I have certainly emerged with cuts and bruises from my Nordic experi- ences.

This week's deal features four Danes playing card-perfectly.

Dealer East Both vulnerable 4K VQ J 107 6 4 3

• 6 5 3 +A 6

4 10 7 4 VK 5

• Q 109 +5 3 2 4 2

4.9 2 '78 2 • KQJ109874 8 6 5 3 N

W E

• A QJ VA 9 • K J 8 7

The Bidding

South West North East 5+

54 pass pass pass West led +3 and declarer was careful to trump it, preserving +A as a route to dummy via an opponent. He crossed to 4K, crossed back to VA, and finished drawing the trumps. On the third round East had to make a discard. Can you see what he did?

Realising that declarer would shortly concede a V to West's VK, that West would switch to a •, and that he would be trapped into giving dummy the lead after winning his •A, East correctly discarded his •A!

Declarer did lead a second V to West's VK and now West could exit with •10 to declarer's •.J. Undeterred declarer led •7 and after West won •9, he was forced to lead a • into declarer's •K8. The con- tract had scrambled home in spite of East's spectacular discard.

Was there any defence? Not after the opening lead — but the unlikely opening lead of a low • from West defeats the contract.