Bridge ROADMAP

North-South vulnerable, South deals

Two-suited bids allow you to compete with hands that might not otherwise be able to enter the auction. They can be effective when they locate a good fit, but they can also draw declarer a roadmap when you end up defending.

It was possible that West was leading a short suit, but it was more likely that he was leading from an honor sequence in his second suit. South assumed that the heart ace was offside, so he needed a club ruff in dummy. Oddly, that meant that he could not make his contract if the trumps split 3-2. West would be able to ruff twice when South tried to ruff clubs, and there would still be a spade and a heart to lose.

South won the opening diamond lead with his king and cashed the ace of spades. He led a low club to dummy’s king and discarded a low heart on the ace of diamonds. South ruffed a diamond and led the ace of clubs, relieved that West followed. A club was ruffed in dummy and the last diamond was led. South would just discard if East ruffed, so East shed a club and South ruffed, then exited with his king of hearts. West won and continued the suit, but East had the same problem. There was nothing East could do to prevent South from scoring two more trump tricks and making his contract.

Even with a roadmap, this was a well-played hand.

Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to With Tannah Hirsch and Bob Jones Tribune Content Agency, LLC., 16650 We stgrove Dr., Suite 175 , Addison, TX 75001. E -mail tcaeditors@tribune.com.