Contract Bridge

Sometimes the opposing bidding can push a partnership into a contract they would not have reached on their own, and subsequent developments prove that they are actually the better for it. Consider this prime example from a pairs tournament.

After East’s pre- emptive three- heart bid, South had little choice but to bid three notrump. The partnership thus missed their 4- 4 spade fit, but as the cards lie, a game in spades had no chance against normal defense.

East won the opening heart lead with the ace and placed South with the K-J of hearts. He therefore shifted to the diamond seven, which declarer ducked to West’s nine. West then exited with a spade, taken by South with the queen.

A club was led to dummy’s queen, West following low. Declarer then cashed the A-J of spades and led another club toward dummy.

At this point, West could see the handwriting on the wall. If he ducked the club again, South would win with dummy’s king and play a third club, forcing West into the lead. West could cash his fourth club — establishing dummy’s fifth club as South’s ninth trick — or return a diamond or a heart, also handing declarer his ninth trick.

In practice, West took the ace on the second club lead and exited with a club to dummy’s king, but South simply returned a club to West’s jack to achieve the same ending. The defenders thus scored only two clubs, a diamond and a heart, and there was nothing they could do to stop declarer from making nine tricks.