BRIDGE JACK STOCKEN

This hand helped a Yorkshire team to victory with a 13 Imp swing. South could have passed partner’s 2NT response but judged rightly that his broken spade suit would be of poor value in notrumps, so bid 3♠.

His partner thought that the 3♠ bid was consistent with a 6 card suit so bid to the borderline game. Both players had pushed in the bidding but winning teams’ strategy is all about bidding and making borderline games.

West led the king of clubs against 4♠ which declarer won with the ace in dummy, played the king of hearts and a small heart to the ace in hand. He then played the queen of diamonds, covered by the king and the ace from dummy. A small diamond was led to the jack in hand and declarer ruffed a small heart in dummy with the seven of spades.

Declarer then played a small diamond from dummy and ruffed in hand with the nine of spades. West overtrumped with the ace and returned a trump, the eight of spades, which was won in dummy with the ten.

Declarer played the winning ten of diamonds from dummy and a small diamond, ruffed by East with the three of spades and over-ruffed by declarer with the four. Finally declarer played the losing ten of hearts, won by East with the jack. East only had spades left at this point so was end-played and had to lead from the queen-five of spades into the jaws of declarer’s king-jack.

Declarer made 4♠ plus one, just losing the ace of spades and the ten of hearts. At the other table West had bid clubs again over 2♥, making it more difficult for North South who ended up in a pushy

3NT contract which went two down on a club lead.

■ Bridge holidays are up and running again. There are still a few places left on our summer bridge holiday to Lake Garda,

1 – 8 October. Full details on www. andrewrobsonbridgeholidays. co.uk