Goren on Bridge

A routine auction leading to a routine contract. Declarer expects to romp home with four or five club tricks, depending on who has the king, and five top tricks in the other suits. Something happened on the way to the romp.

South won the opening spade lead with his king and ran the 10 of clubs, winning the trick as

East ducked his king. South continued with queen of clubs, and the first sign of trouble came when West discarded an encouraging diamond. East correctly ducked this also. Declarer was now down to only three club tricks and the contract was in jeopardy. South countered by leading a club to dummy’s ace, followed by the jack of clubs to East’s king. South brilliantly discarded the ace of spades on the fourth club!

The defense could no longer play spades without giving declarer an entry to the long club. Responding to West’s first discard, East shifted to the nine of diamonds, ducked to West’s queen. South won the heart shift with his king and led a low diamond toward dummy. That did it! West won and led another heart, but South won with his ace and led a low diamond to dummy’s jack. He cashed the last club and the queen of spades for his eight and ninth tricks. Well done!

Note that South never took a trick with either the ace of spades or the ace of diamonds. Had he taken a trick with either card, his contract would have failed. 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.

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