Bridge in Bulgaria
Bridge Column for May 24, 2002, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  South deals.
                              North
                              S: A 7 3            
                              H: Void        
                              D: A Q 8 6 4 3 
                              C: J 8 4 2 
            West                             East
            S: J 9 6 5 2                     S: Q 10       
            H: A 7 6 2                       H: K Q 10 8 5 3
            D: J 9                           D: 10 7 2            
            C: K 3                           C: A Q         
                              South                         
                              S: K 8 4
                              H: J 9 4      
                              D: K 5       
                              C: 10 9 7 6 5 
          The Bidding:  
                  South    West    North    East                  
                   Pass    Pass     1D       2H 
                   Pass     3H      3NT    Double
                   Pass    Pass     Rdbl    Pass
                    5C     Pass     Pass    Pass
     This hand appeared in a recent issue of the International
Bridge Press Association bulletin.  It was submitted by Krastyu
Kavlakov of Bulgaria who observed it at a local duplicate game in
Sofia.
     The bidding requires some explanation.  The North-South
partnership were playing a strong club system with many special
gadgets.  The one diamond opening showed a hand with less than 16
points and no five card major.  It had nothing to do with
diamonds.
     North's second bid, three no trump, showed one of two types
of hand; either a long solid diamond suit with a stopper in the
opponents suit, or a minor two suiter (at least ten cards in the
minors).
     East's double takes the pressure off South.  To be honest, I
don't know what he should do after a pass by the opponent, but I
assume he would bid four clubs.  
     North's redouble redefines his previous bid. It shows both
minors with longer diamonds.  If he held equal length minors or
longer clubs he would have bid four clubs in this sequence.
     So, South, having done nothing but pass up to this point,
becomes declarer at five clubs.  Look at all four hands and
decide whether you want to put your money on the declarer or the
defender.  The opening lead was the five of spades.
     Have you made your decision?  Did you decide to defend?  It
does appear that there are three unavoidable losers; two clubs
and a spade.  But the defenders did not get to see all four
hands.
     The first trick went to the king of spades.  South led the
five of clubs.  West played low and the jack was inserted from
the North hand.  East played the queen and returned the ten of
spades.  Declarer won the ace in dummy and led another club. 
East won the ace and, having no spade to cash, exited with a
heart.  Declarer was able to take the rest of the tricks.
     Would you have been up to winning the ace of clubs at trick
two, allowing your partner to win the second club trick so that
he could play his good spade and defeat the contract? 
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.