Bridge: June 17, 2024

With COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror, attendance was brisk at the ACBL’s Spring Championships in Louisville despite the increasing cost of attending a “Nationals.”

In a secondary pairs event, Jui Wang of Morrisville, North Carolina, found a good deceptive play to bring home a redoubled game. When North-South got to five diamonds, West didn’t see how South could make that when East had opened and rebid freely at the three level. North expressed a different opinion.

West led the singleton queen of hearts, and when East took the ace, Wang saw what was coming. She dumped her king!

LAST HEART

Deceived, East shifted to a spade, and Wang took dummy’s ace and threw her last heart on the ace of clubs. She led a trump to her king, and West took the ace and forced with a club.

Declarer next took the K-Q of spades. When East-West followed, Wang led a good spade. West ruffed low, and Wang overruffed in dummy, ruffed a club and led another spade. West could take no more tricks, and Wang made the contract for a nice round score of plus 1000.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A H 10 7 6 4 3 D Q 10 7 3 C A 5 2. Both sides vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens three clubs. After two passes, your partner doubles. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s “balancing” double may be lightish; he may have only 12 high-card points, and some players would act with fewer. He may have “wasted” spade honors opposite your singleton ace. Still, bid four hearts. You will have a chance if partner holds Q9xx,Axxx,KJxx,x.

East dealer

Both sides vulnerable

NORTH

S A

H 10 7 6 4 3

D Q 10 7 3

C A 5 2

WEST

S J 10 3

H Q

D A J 6 2

C K 9 7 6 4

EAST

S 9 8 5

H A J 9 5 2

D None

C Q J 10 8 3

SOUTH

S K Q 7 6 4 2

H K 8

D K 9 8 5 4

C None

East South West North
1 H(!) 2 H Dbl 2 NT
3 C(!) 3 D 5 C 5 D
Pass Pass Dbl Redbl
All Pass
Opening lead – H Q

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