BRIDGE with Bob Jones

China’s rise as a power in world bridge has been steady over the last 20 years or so. Today, they can boast a number of world champions. Today’s deal is from a match in the recent Vanderbilt Knockout Teams. A Chinese team was playing one of the best teams in the world.

The auction and opening lead were the same at both tables. Both South players evaluated their hand as worth 15 points due to the five-card suit. At one table, where Lidang Dong was East, he won the opening heart lead with the ace and returned the suit. Declarer played the 10, so West won with the jack and played a third round of hearts. Dong brilliantly discarded the king of diamonds on this trick, creating a diamond entry for his partner. The contract could no longer be made.

At the other table, Dong’s teammate, Hou Xu, was South. He went up with his king on the second round of hearts, preventing his opponent from making the same great discard. He handled the diamonds carefully in order to prevent West from gaining the lead in that suit. He crossed to dummy with a high club and led a low diamond, playing his ace when East played low. A low diamond to the king set up the suit and the rest was easy. Had East risen with his king of diamonds on the first round of the suit, declarer would have ducked and let East hold the trick. West would again have been kept off lead. Excellent play by both Chinese players!