The Bridge Column

SOUND REASONING

Making a splinter bid with the North hand would not be everyone’s choice. Many would just bid four spades, showing a big fit with some useful distribution, without a lot of high-card points. Some might not even force to game, settling for an invitational three-spade bid. Note that on a trump lead declarer would easily come to 10 tricks by leading toward dummy’s king-jack of hearts, twice if he misguessed the first time. The splinter bid gave East a chance to make a lead directing double and South now had his work cut out for him.

The opening club lead went to East’s ace, and East shifted to the jack of diamonds. South won with his king and drew trumps in two rounds. Declarer had to guess the heart position the first time, or the defense would set up their diamond trick before he could lead a second heart.

South took some time to consider what he knew about the hand. West had led the two of clubs, suggesting four-card length with an honor, likely the king from East’s play of the ace at trick one. East therefore started with six clubs to the ace-queen along with the jack of diamonds. Should the club inferences be correct, South had to decide whether East, a passed hand, would have opened the bidding if he also held the ace of hearts. South thought that most players would open with 11 points and a good six-card suit, so he led a heart and put up dummy’s king when West played low. Good thinking!