The Bridge Column

UNUSUAL PLAY

Both vulnerable, East deals

Many bridge players are familiar with the name of Ron Klinger. He has been a prolific author of books and articles about bridge over a period of many years. Less well known is that he is also a fine player, having represented Australia in international competition on many occasions. He was West in today’s deal.

East captured the opening spade lead with the king and returned his trump in an effort to prevent spade ruffs in the dummy. South played the queen and Klinger made a good play by ducking and allowing the queen to win. Had Klinger won with his king and returned another trump, there would have been no spade ruff, but South would have drawn the rest of the trumps and taken the diamond finesse, finishing with an overtrick.

Declarer ruffed a spade in dummy, eliminating West’s last card in that suit, and led a club toward his hand. Had he inserted his 10 of clubs, there would have been no way to defeat the contract. Declarer, however, considered that a needless risk and played the queen. Klinger won this with the ace and continued with another club. Dummy’s king won this trick and South crossed to his hand with a club ruff. The ace of trumps followed by the jack of trumps put Klinger back on lead with his king. Klinger then found the only card in his hand that would defeat the contract — the king of diamonds! The only way back to South’s hand to draw the last trump was with the jack of diamonds, and South was left with a spade loser in the end.