Contract Bridge

This deal arose in the New England final of the 1991 North American Open Pairs. It features excellent bidding and play by Doug Doub.

Doub held the South hand and opened two clubs, planning to rebid two notrump to show a 22-24 point balanced hand. But when his partner bid two spades after West’s two- heart overcall, Doub decided to raise spades and await further developments. When North next bid diamonds, Doub leaped to six notrump to protect his king of hearts on the opening lead. This proved a wise choice, as a slam in spades or diamonds with North as declarer would have gone down two.

Having gotten safely over the bidding hurdle, Doub now had to find a way to make 12 tricks. With only 11 winners and the A- Q of hearts certain to lie over the K-J, it was not immediately apparent where an extra trick might come from.

It didn’t take Doub long to work out the solution. He won the opening spade lead with the ace and cashed four more spades and four diamonds to produce this position with the lead in the South hand: The lead of the diamond nine left West without recourse. If he discarded the heart queen, Doub would concede a heart to the ace to force a club lead into the A- Q. When West in fact discarded the club jack, Doub plunked down the club ace, caught the king and so made the slam.

Of course, if West had had the foresight to keep his mouth shut during the bidding, it is doubtful Doub would have found the winning line of play. West therefore had good reason to kick himself when the play was over. I know, because I was West.