The Denver Gazette

GOREN BRIDGE

CHOICES

WITH BOB JONES ©2022 Tribune Content Agency LLC

Both vulnerable, South deals

Today’s deal is from a recent team game. The auction and the early defense were the same at both tables. East won the opening heart lead with the queen, cashed the ace, and continued with the eight of hearts. South covered with the nine and West ruffed with the nine of spades. How would you play from here? At one table, declarer over-ruffed in dummy and cashed the ace and jack of spades.

The 4-1 trump split made things difficult, but West was known to have started with 11 minor suit cards. This made West the favorite to hold the king of clubs. South played for that by cashing four rounds of spades, discarding the ace of clubs on the fourth spade!

The three top diamonds were followed by a low club toward the queen. This would have done the trick had West started with the king, but East had that card and the contract finished down two. At the other table, South did not over-ruff at trick three, but rather discarded dummy’s nine of clubs. South won the diamond shift and drew trumps in four rounds. He cashed the three top diamonds, cashed the ace of clubs, and ruffed his remaining club. The jack of diamonds was his tenth trick. Nicely done!

(Bob Jones welcomes readers’ responses sent to Tribune Content Agency LLC, 16650 Westgrove Drive, Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001. Email: tcaeditors@tribpub.com.)

LIFE

en-us

2022-09-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-09-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.denvergazette.com/article/282269554271029

The Gazette, Colorado Springs