GOREN BRIDGE

HARD TO SEE

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Neither vulnerable, West deals NORTH

753

The bidding:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♥ Pass 2♦ 2NT* 3♦ 3♥ 4♦ 4♠

All pass

*Spades and clubs, the unbid suits, at least 5-5

Opening lead: King of

North’s three-heart bid was intended to show a good hand for his partner. Not bad we could go along with, but good? Perhaps there was an adult beverage involved. South was the late Patrick Jourdain of Great Britain. Jourdain was a prolific bridge writer and a very fine player.

West found the best lead of a diamond and continued with a diamond at trick two. Jourdain’s trumps were under attack. Should he cross to dummy with the ace of hearts to lead a spade, he would open up another suit for the opponents to use to attack his trumps by forcing him to ruff. He had to risk a club ruff, so he led a club to the queen at trick three.

East won with his ace and continued with a diamond, ruffed by Jourdain. A club to the jack lived, so Jourdain could finally lead a spade to his jack. West won but had no diamonds remaining, so he led the king of hearts. Dummy’s ace won the trick and another spade let Jourdain draw the trumps and claim his contract.

It is not easy to see, but the defense could have prevailed had East ducked his ace of clubs. Declarer would have to lead a spade and the defense could eventually promote West’s nine of spades into a winner. We’ll leave it to interested readers to work out the rest of the defense.

(Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001. E-mail: tcaeditors@tribpub.com)