BRIDGE
Manipulation
Andrew Robson
JOHN POUT is a well-built bridge player who used to be a line-backer in American Football. His bridge is normally as solid as his physique, but even those most prone to overbidding would blink at his optimism on this week's hand.
Dealer South North-South vulnerable South West North East 14 14 pass pass
2+
pass 3* pass 5* double pass pass redouble pass pass pass West must have wondered if the opponents were playing with the same pack when they sailed into 5*. Just in case they were, he doubled. Fout, not content with bidding a minor suit game with just 11 points facing a partner who could not respond initially, redoubled. Did declarer have a chance on West's VA lead? Fout trumped the lead and led a 4. The US World Champion West player won the ace and led a second '4, won by dummy's king. Fout trumped a second V with •K and led a low *. When West followed low, he inserted dummy's ten, winning the trick. Fout trumped a third V with +A, observing the 3-3 split, and led his remaining • to dummy's queen. Leaving West's master •J out- standing, Fout played dummy's established Vs. All the defence could take was their trump trick and Fout had made his redou- bled game. The key to Fout's success was his manipu- lation of the trump suit. To create two trump entries to dummy involved trumping Vs with •A and •K and finessing dummy's ten. It was certainly an unlucky hand for East- West (especially West) but had he led any other suit but a V, declarer would be an entry short to establish the Vs and would struggle to make even nine tricks.
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