BRIDGE

Alan Hiron
Saturday 16 August 1997 23:02 BST
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South Kept his head well after his partnership had reached a dubious slam and he found himself faced with an extremely awkward trump break.

After two passes, South opened One Heart and West overcalled with One Spade. North might have tried Two No-trumps but, arguing that no-trumps might be better played by his partner if he held, say ]Qx, he marked time with a cue-bid of Two Spades. Possibly forgetting that his partner had passed originally, South became excited and the final contract was Six Hearts, against which West led the king of spades.

After winning with dummy's ace, declarer finessed the queen of trumps. The good news was that it won; the bad news was that now East appeared to have two trump tricks.

However, South saw that he had a play for his contract if East held precisely three diamonds and four clubs. He cashed three rounds of diamonds, throwing a spade from dummy, and continued with four rounds of clubs on which he threw his losing spades from hand. A spade from dummy followed and East ruffed with his seven.

Now came the key play - South under-ruffed to leave East on lead. His return of a low heart was run to dummy's 10, and a finesse in trumps gave South the last two tricks.

NORTH-SOUTH GAME: dealer North

North

] A 7 5 3

_ 10 4 3

+ 6 5

[ A Q J 10

West East

] K Q J 10 8 ] 9

_ None _ K 9 8 7 6

+ J 9 7 3 2 + 10 8 4

[ 9 7 5 [ 8 6 4 3

South

] 6 4 2

_ A Q J 5 2

+ A K Q

[ K 2

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