The Bridge Corner
By Gary Mitchell, April 20, 2007

Opening Lead: Club Queen

The bidding explained: When you make a take out double and then bid your own suit, you promise a good suit and more than 17 points. I do not like East’s one Heart bid at all. Enough said about that.

The play: With the Club lead, you count two Club losers, two Diamond losers, a Heart and possible Spade. Okay, for there to be any chance, Spades need to behave. So, you win the Club lead, pull trump, get the good news, and lead the Heart King. West wins the Ace, plays the Club Jack, and another to East’s King. East returns a Diamond and down one we go. Sorry, not we. You!

With the lead of the Club Queen, you know East has the King because we lead the top of sequences! So, you knew if you won the Ace, there would be an entry to East’s hand for a Diamond switch. Play low on the first Club, and the second if the King is not played. Win the trick on which East plays the King of Clubs so that the East hand can never gain the lead. If East turns up with the Ace of Hearts, then West psyched his opening bid! You only lose four tricks as you can discard a Diamond (or two) on the Hearts. Is there a danger of someone getting a Club ruff? No! West bid Clubs, and East has the King but has not played it.

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