Goren on Bridge

Should you open the South hand one diamond, there would be serious rebid problems after a one-spade response by partner. To avoid this, Hard Luck Louie opened one no-trump, as would many good players today. This deal came up in a team match between Louie’s team and a team led by Lucky Larry.

Louie won the opening diamond lead in dummy and made the normal play of a heart to his ace, followed by another heart. When the hearts split as they did, and the king of clubs proved to be offside, Louie had to settle for down one. “Horrid luck, as usual,” said Louie. “2-2 hearts, or three hearts on my left, or the club king on my right, and I would have made it. This has got to stop!”

Lucky Larry also found himself declarer in a four-heart contract, with the same opening lead. He won this in dummy and paused to think. Larry saw this deal as an opportunity for an avoidance play. He wanted to keep East off lead until the diamonds were ready for club discards. He led a low heart at trick two, but when East played the five, Larry just covered with the seven.

West was surprised to win this trick with his 10, but he took his gift and led another diamond to the dummy. Larry led a heart to his ace and ruffed a diamond in dummy. East overruffed and shifted to a club, but to no avail. Larry rose with his ace and discarded dummy’s two remaining clubs on the ace and eight of diamonds. He conceded a spade and claimed 10 tricks for his contract. 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. Email responses may be sent to tcaeditors@tribune.com. © 2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.