BRIDGE

Long is strong

Andrew Robson

'EIGHT tricks plus a long suit equals nine' is certainly an accurate motto when declar- ing 3NT. Running a long suit usually gives the defence a major headache and many contracts are Conceded ridiculously by poor discarding.

But on this week's deal, West was com- pletely powerless and his insoluble dilem- ma was fully capitalised by the declarer, Caroline Brooman-White.

Dealer North Neither side vulnerable 4 A K 8 6 4

• 9 8 3 2

• A 9 +93 40 107

2

4J 3

• 7 6 5

• A Q J

• 4

W E • 8 7 6 5 2 +A J 5 4 2

+108 7

49 5 V K 104

• K Q J 103 4K Q 6

The Bidding South West pass 3NT pass North East 14 pass 2? pass pass pass West led 44 to dummy's 49, East's 410 and declarer's 4Q. With eight top tricks, Caroline put the above motto to the test. At the second trick she crossed to dummy's • A, returned to •10 and cashed her remaining *s. After showing out on the second round, West discarded two Vs and a 4 fairly painlessly, but on the fifth *, he was in trouble. To discard a second 4 would clearly be fatal — dummy's 4s would all become good.

And if he discarded a 4, then Caroline would cross to dummy's 4K and lead a • towards her ?K East could fly in with ?A and return a 4 but West would not now have enough 4 winners to defeat the con- tract and ?IC would be her ninth trick. So West discarded his last V.

This was best, but Caroline read the hand perfectly and made her ninth trick in a completely different way. Can you see how she continued?

She cashed 4A, 4K and played a third 4. West was endplayed to lead a 4 away from his 4A and declarer scored her ninth trick with OK.