BRIDGE

A game each

Andrew Robson

MY erstwhile partner of seven years, Tony Forrester, did not let the unfavourable vulnerability and East's obvious strength deter him from bidding his distributional South cards aggressively.

Cover up the East-West cards and see if you can duplicate his successful line of play.

Dealer East 49 8 7 2 ♦ 10 3 2 • Q 106 +106 2 South

3• 5+

pass 4 V • West pass double 4106 3 VJ 9 5

• A K7 K 9 5 North-South vulnerable 3

+ A J 5 4 VA K Q 8764

♦ 9 • A 4 3 2 7 4

North East

2V

4* 411 pass pass

N

W n

S

K Q — J 8 5 • Q J 8 The Bidding

West led ♦2 and Tony trumped East's 'Q. It appears that the success of the contract depends on •Q dropping in two rounds. But he reflected on the auction. East had shown a skewed shape and West had found a penalty double of the final contract. These clues caused Tony to look deeper into how to play the trump suit.

At trick two declarer advanced ♦J. West covered with • Q, dummy's • K won and the fall of •9 from East was noticed with interest. He ruffed a second V and led a low ♦. When West followed with ♦ 6, he finessed ♦7. East discarded so he drew West's ♦10 with •A and forced out +A and later 4A to make his doubled game.

In the other room North-South also reached 5*. Here, however, East unilater- ally bid on to 5V. He was rewarded when the favourable 4 break allowed him to hold his losses to 4 one and one ♦. Thus what is known as a 'double game swing' occurred on the deal.