Goren on Bridge

Today’s deal is from a team match some years ago. At the other table, North-South stopped in three hearts and the defense was terrific. West started with the ace and king of diamonds and shifted to the king of spades. South won in dummy while discarding a diamond from hand. He led a club to his ace and ruffed his last diamond in dummy as East shed his remaining club. South ruffed a spade with his four of hearts and was over-ruffed by West with the five. West led a club for East to ruff and a spade from East promoted West’s queen of trumps into the setting trick. Good defense to be sure, but declarer could have made nine tricks several different ways.

At this table, where South blasted into game, West also cashed two diamonds and shifted to the king of spades. South won with dummy’s ace, shedding a diamond from his hand, and ruffed a spade with a low trump. West over-ruffed and led the queen of hearts to South’s ace. Declarer cashed the king of hearts, the ace of clubs, and ran all his trumps. In the two-card ending after the run of the trumps, South had the seven of diamonds and the six of clubs opposite dummy’s king-nine of clubs. West was not able to keep a high diamond and two clubs, so South made the rest of the tricks for a great result. Nicely done! 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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