BRIDGE

Sweet dreams

Andrew Robson

AN odd number of missing cards rate to split as evenly as possible — five missing cards are better than 2:1 on to split 3-2. But an even number of missing cards do not rate to split evenly — six missing cards are only slightly better than 2:1 against to split 3-3.

Assuming every suit splits as expected on this week's hand, in what contract would you wish to declare? Most pairs from a recent tournament declared 4V, a few 6V. Both contracts made 11 tricks with two inescapable trump losers. Unbelievably the best contract is 7• — even though the opponents have the majority of trumps. Perhaps my recommended auction is the stuff of dreams?

Dealer South North-South vulnerable

4 A Q 8 7 5

• 7 64 2 • K ▪ A K 7 4 10 6

4J

9 4 2

V K 010

• J 9

• 10 8 5 2 W E • 9 6 4 +108 5 4

J 9 6 3

4K 3

• A 8 5 3 • A Q J 7 3 +Q 2

South West North East l• pass 14 pass 2V pass 34 pass 3. pass 3, pass 34 pass 4• pass

4NT pass 5, pass 5NT pass 6V pass 7, pass pass pass

North's 34 — the fourth suit — asks for further information and his 4• bid shows full appreciation of the value of •K in the light of South having bid the suit twice. Both partners are rightly reticent about stressing their Vs — remembering the motto 'Don't bid bad suits with good hands'.

Let us say West leads VK against 7• Declarer wins VA, crosses to •K, returns to 4Q, draws trumps (the expected 4-3 break materialises) discarding Vs from dummy, and starts on 4s. He cashes 4K, crosses to 4Q, cashes 4A (revealing the 4- 2 split), discarding a V from hand and trumps a fourth 4 with his last trump. Dummy's last three cards are +A, 4K and the established fifth 4.