August 2008 - 50

INTERMEDIATE PLAYERS

Better Bridge
with Bergen

Marty Bergen
Mbergen@mindspring.com
A sensible three‑card
raise
Dlr: West  K Q J
Vul: Both  8 7 5 4
2
AK753
A9653
A
 Q 10 9 7
 10 8 2
North
1
2
Pass

South
1
4

North was delighted to raise spades
with his excellent three-card support,
and you wasted no time jumping to
the major-suit game. You win the
opening trump lead with the J as
East drops the 10.
Are you more interested in
dummy's short diamond suit or long
club suit?
The answer is clubs. If you lead a
diamond, E-W can stop dummy from
ruffing two diamonds by leading a
second trump. In addition, you lack
the 8, so trying to ruff two diamonds with dummy's spade honors
would create a trump loser.
The 10 tricks you are hoping to
win are five spades, four clubs and
50

one heart. All you need is for clubs to
divide 3-2.
At trick two you should lead a low
club. You need to develop dummy's
club suit, but must keep trumps in
dummy to ensure that the defense
can't take too many diamond tricks.
By remembering to lose your losers
early, you set up clubs while keeping
control of diamonds, and maintain
communication between the two
hands.
East wins the Q and leads a
heart, which is as good as anything.
You win the A and lead toward the
A K just in case West started with
a singleton club. West follows, so you
play the A and East also follows.
Great, you are now all set. Cash dummy's K Q. Although East discards
two hearts, you are not concerned
about the 4-1 trump split.
You ruff a heart to your hand, draw
West's last trump and lead a club and
take your 10 tricks.
Here is the entire deal:
KQJ
8754
2
AK753
8742
 10
N
KJ9
 Q 10 6 3 2
W E
AJ84
K653
S
J4
Q96
A9653
A
 Q 10 9 7
 10 8 2
To draw or not to draw?
See next column
North's 4 response was not classical, but there is no perfect bid with
that hand. East wins the opening lead
with his K, and shifts to the 10.
You go up with the A, and West
follows with the 4.

Dlr: South  Q 10 7 4 3
Vul: None  J 7 2
KQ
763
A2
-
 10 9 8 6 3 WNE  A K 5 4
A95
 10 8 7 3 2
S
J84
 Q 10 9 2
KJ9865
Q
J64
AK5
North
4

South
1
Pass

You are looking at four losers -
one in each suit. You've already lost a
heart trick, and there's no way to avoid
losing the A and A. Therefore,
you need to avoid a club loser.
Are you ready to draw trumps?
Please decide before reading on.
The answer is definitely not.
Despite missing only two trumps, you
can't afford to waste time drawing
trumps. An opponent will win his
A and lead another club, which
will establish the setting trick in that
suit. For those who were anxious to
draw trumps, what's your hurry? On
this deal, there is virtually no chance
that the opponents are about to win a
trump trick with the 2 because you
failed to draw their trumps.
After winning East's club shift,
what would you lead at trick three?
Because you must get rid of your
club loser, you need to develop diamonds. Lead the 4 from your hand.
West will grab his A and return a
club. No problem. You win your K,
and lead the 6 to the board. Next
you'll ruff a heart to your hand, and
cash the J and discard dummy's
last club. Goodbye club loser. Now,
and only now, are you ready to draw
trumps and make four.
r
Bridge Bulletin
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2008
