ETCETERA: BRIDGE
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Your support makes all the difference.SOUTH's aggressive bidding on this deal led him to an optimistic contract. Not surprisingly, he went one down but later asserted that he could have made it. His opponents sneered but declarer's analysis was vindicated and, as a result, he won more on the ensuing friendly side- bets than he had lost by failing to make the game at the table.
South opened One Club (some players might have preferred an offbeat 2NT), West overcalled with One Spade and, after two passes, South doubled. North bid a gloomy Two Clubs, and an even gloomier Three Clubs when South pushed on with Two Hearts. Ignoring the gypsy's warning, South still went on to Five Clubs against which West led ]K.
The problem, of course, was that there was only one entry to dummy. In practice declarer used [A in order to run +10, which at least drew the king. All he needed now was for either opponent to have started with the doubleton king of trumps, but it was not to be and the contract failed.
So how did South win his bet? (Admit-tedly after seeing his opponents' hands.) He would have made his contract with the unlikely looking play of +Q at trick 2! Look what happens: West takes his king and for-ces with another spade. After ruffing, declarer uses [A as his entry to dummy and leads +10, planning to run it. If this is not covered, the lead is still in dummy to play a trump; and, if +10 is covered, +9 provides the entry for the trump play. Yes, South still needs an even heart break but the suit obliges.
LOVE ALL: dealer South
North
] 9 6 4 3
_ 10 5 4
+ 10 9 7
[ A 3 2
West East
] K Q J 10 2 ] 8 7 5
_ J 9 6 _ 8 7 2
+ K 5 3 + J 8 6 2
[ 10 8 [ K J 9
South
] A
_ A K Q 3
+ A Q 8
[ Q 7 6 5 4
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