Games: Bridge

The days of cautious bidding seem long gone: nowadays any mouldy 11-count seems to warrant an opening bid. At least South held a six-card suit on this deal from the Generali European Championships! Once he had opened, of course, everybody got in on the act.

West North East South

pass 12

1! 14 3! pass

4! double pass 52

all pass

North's double of 4! merely suggested some extra high cards. If South had passed he would have collected a peaceful 300 points, but the lure of a vulnerable game was too much. As you can see, 52, although a poor contract, seemed set to roll home with the trumps behaving and the spade finesse right.

Have you any thoughts as to how the defenders might have given South a problem? A completely passive defence give him an easy run. Try playing three rounds of hearts, giving declarer a ruff and discard. A useless ruff and discard, yes, but he would not know that, and if he ruffs on the table and discards from hand, he suddenly has a trump loser. To succeed, of course, he must ruff in hand; then he can pick up the trumps without loss and rely on the spade finesse.

North-South game; dealer East

North

4A Q 6 5 4

!8 2

#K J 8

2K 5 4

West East

4K 9 8 7 43 2

!K Q 10 9 6 !A 7 5 3

#Q 10 6 3 #7 5 2

2none 2Q 9 7 2

South

4J 10

!J 4

#A 9 4

2A J 10 8 6 3