Bridge Corner
By Gary Mitchell (May 19, 2006)

The bidding

West’s three Diamond bid is preemptive. North’s double is a Negative Double, promising Hearts. South is afraid that North may only have four Hearts, so bids game in Spades. Yes, preempts work—that is why bridge players use them.

The play

East wins the opening lead and continues with a second Diamond, which you trump. Now what? First, West must have the AJxx of Spades, otherwise where is the double coming from? The danger is hard to see until it is too late. If you lead the Spade King, West can play low. If you now continue with Spades, West can win and continue Diamonds. In the due course of time, with West forcing you to ruff each time, you will run out of trump.

The solution is not to let West force you with Diamonds. At trick three, lead a low Spade. West can win the Jack but cannot force you to trump a Diamond with your long Spades, because you can trump in dummy. Now, no matter what West does, you will be able to hold West to two trump tricks.

Questions: email me at gary@smabridge.com
Lessons: Call 152-6351.