Bidding to an excellent contract. Bridge Column for January 16, 2004, Harvey Bernstein Special To The Plain Dealer Neither side vulnerable. West deals. North S: A Q 7 6 H: Void D: A Q 10 9 7 5 2 C: A K West East S: 10 8 S: K 9 5 3 H: K Q 9 6 5 4 H: J 10 8 2 D: 6 D: K 4 3 C: Q 8 6 2 C: 10 9 South S: J 4 2 H: A 7 3 D: J 8 C: J 7 5 4 3 The Bidding: West North East South 2H Dbl Pass 3C Pass 3H Pass 3NT Pass 4D Pass 4S Pass Pass Pass Looking at the North-South cards by themselves, the first thought is that six diamonds should have a good play. Further examination shows that even if one of the two finesses is working, there may be no way to get to the South hand to take either finesse. Mort Pierce of Chagrin Falls found a way to arrive at the winning contract on this hand, and then made an exceptional play to bring his game home. After North makes a take out double of the opening two heart bid, Pierce bids three clubs, his five card suit. His bid shows less than eight points and denies a four card spade holding. North bids three hearts to show a very strong hand and Pierce bids three no trump to show a heart stopper. This bid also tends to indicate minimum values in this type of auction. If North had as little as the queen of hearts, no trump could be a viable contract, but with a heart void, it is not likely to be the right spot. With that thought, North bids four diamonds. North should have at least six good diamonds for this call. South is really not interested in diamonds or a slam, but takes this opportunity to show North that he has three spades. At this point he has shown a bad hand with a heart stopper and three spades. North has done as much as he can and passes. The opening lead is the six of diamonds. It might as well have a neon sign attached to it that says "I am a singleton!" Why else would West lead a diamond. Pierce calls for the ace of diamonds and, when that holds the first trick, asks for a small spade from the dummy. East wins the king of spades. A case can be made for ducking this trick, but as the cards lie, declarer may now have a play for on overtrick. East cashes the king of diamonds and leads a third diamond (nothing else is any better). Pierce trumps with the jack of spades. West discards a heart. A spade to the ace and queen leaves this position: North S: 7 H: Void D: Q 10 9 7 C: A K West East S: Void S: 9 H: K Q 9 6 H: J 10 8 2 D: Void D: Void C: Q 8 6 C: 10 9 South S: Void H: A 7 3 D: Void C: J 7 5 4 At this point, Pierce started cashing North's winners and East had no answer. He could trump whenever he wanted to but the North hand had a trump as an entry and no other losers. Plus 420 was an excellent result on a very difficult hand to bid and play. Congratulations to Constance Bogan of Strongsville who was a member of the team that took first place (out of 12 teams) in Bracket 10 of the Cajun Compact Knock Out Teams on November 27, 2003 at the North American Bridge Championships at New Orleans, LA. This result was erroneously omitted from the listing in the column of December 26. _______________________________________________________ Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.