BRIDGE
Good timing
Andrew Robson
The sheer elegance of the position that this week's declarer reached is worthy of close scrutiny. See if you can time the play of the hand as exquisitely as Giles Hargreave.
Dealer North North-South vulnerable 4 A K 4 3 2
• K .1 6 5 4 3
• 6 4 4-
49 5 —
• Q 109 A Q J
8752 10
48 VA Q 10 9 8 72 • — +K9 8 7 4
W E
• Q J 107 6 V — • A K J 3 6 5 3 2 The Bidding South West North East — — 141 pass 14 44 44 pass pass 4NT pass 54 54 pass pass double Pass pass pass West's intelligent 4NT bid for the minors pushed North-South to an uncomfortably high level. Indeed it is questionable Whether South should have bid on to 54 over — it is certainly tempting to dou- ble 5+ with eight minor suit cards.
West led 410 which East trumped and returned V7. Had declarer discarded on this trick, he would have made his contract. West would trump, but East would be Unable to trump West's • return and declarer would scramble nine tricks in trumps to go with the two top diamonds.
Hargreavc was unwilling to lose the first three tricks and ruffed the heart with 410, West discarding a •. He trumped a 4, trumped a V with 4J, trumped another 4, trumped a third V with 4Q, trumped a third 4 and crossed to 41( to lead his last 4. He trumped in dummy with 4K, cashed 4A and led a fourth V.
His last three cards were 47 and •AJ and he trumped the V with 47. West, down to 49 and •Q9, was completely scuppered. If he allowed 47 to win, declar- er could cash •A for his eleventh trick. West therefore overtrumped, but was forced to lead a • into declarer's AJ at trick twelve.
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