BRIDGE
Know-all
Andrew Robson
STUDY this week's hand — a goulash deal from a high stake game — and decide which is the key card that should have decided the fate of the contract.
Dealer South North South Vulnerable
South West North East 2V pass 3* 3* 4V pass 54 pass 5V pass pass pass West led 410 against 5V and declarer risked the finesse, dummy's .4J winning and East discarding 44. East's play to the first trick was revealing. It marked him with a 4 void and a V void . Therefore his hand had to consist of all eight missing *s and all five missing 4s, leaving West with five Vs and eight 4s. Incredibly, the loca- tion of all 52 cards was known at the end of the first trick. Could declarer capitalise? He led dummy's 4C) and, when East played low, discarded a 4. West trumped with V2 and led V7. Declarer was now in a position to win V10 and draw West's remaining trumps without loss, but to do so would have been an error, because he would have had to lead dos to East. Instead he won V7 with VQ, cashed VAK and exited with V3 to West's VI West led 45 and declarer could finesse 40, discarding *9, and play 4A and *A, discarding CU. He had made 5V, holding his losses to two trump tricks. The crucial card is V2; if West had appreciated this he would have defeated the contract. He should trump 40() with V8. If declarer wins with 41,0 and cashes VAK, he must unblock V.I9. This enables him to underplay V3 with V2. Declarer is forced to lead 4s and East scores 4AQ to defeat the contract.
Action on Addiction invite you to hold a bridge party in Oct/Nov in aid of their chari- ty. Your hand could feature in this column. Tel: Victoria Cullingworth on 0171 793 1011
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