Saskatoon StarPhoenix

BRIDGE

- BY DAVE WILLIS

East inserted the jack when dummy followed with the heart six. East then switched to ace and another club to receive a third round ruff and the contract drifted down one, N-S -100.

East would emerge with nine tricks in hearts if he begins trump by leading the heart three to the jack. He could bring home the trump suit by starting with the queen for the king and ace and subsequent­ly finessing East for the ten. Admittedly, the lie of the diamond honors was very favorable on this deal guaranteei­ng that East could lose only two diamonds no matter how he played the suit.

West's artificial leap to three diamonds revealed a four-card limit raise of hearts.

At this vulnerabil­ity, West should double three spades to protect against +140 in a heart partscore. Partner had, after all, offered a vulnerable simple overcall.

Occasional­ly, this action might backfire when South brings home nine tricks but, at matchpoint­s, it is definitely worth the risk in search of the magic result of +200.

It was clear that E-W held a prepondera­nce of the HCP making it quite likely that South was a little light for the one spade response.

Author: Dave Willis - visit his website at www.insidebrid­ge.ca

Questions on bridge can be sent with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to The New Canadian Bridge c/o Torstar Syndicatio­n Services, One Yonge St., Toronto, M5E 1E6.

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