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Bridge
 In
the modern style South
overcalls 1H instead of making a take-out double. North’s 2C, a
cue-bid in the opponent’s suit, indicates a sound raise to at least
2H and the heart game is reached. West leads a club and East scores
three rounds of the suit. You must now score all the remaining tricks.
How will you attempt to do this when East switches to a trump? It is
quite a difficult play to find, so feel free to look at all four
hands. East surely holds the spade king for his opening bid. You must
aim to squeeze him in spades and diamonds. Play all five trumps,
throwing the spade nine from dummy. East must find one more discard
from K-7 of spades and J-9-6-4 of diamonds. Whatever he throws, you
will be able to untangle a fifth trick from the spades or diamonds. If
he throws a diamond, you will cash the A-Q of that suit and cross to
dummy with the spade ace to enjoy two more diamond tricks. If instead
East bares the spade king, you will cross to the bare ace of spades
and return to your hand with a diamond to score the queen and jack of
spades. You do not need to guess which cards East has kept because his
1C opening marks him with 4-1-4-4 shape.
What response will you
make to partner’s opening bid of 1H?
Answer
 It is a common error to respond 1S here and then to wonder what to do when partner rebids 2H. Since you are worth two bids, you should respond 2C with the intention of continuing with 2S over a rebid of 2H. Perfect! You tell partner that you hold longer clubs than spades.
Awards: 2C — 10, 1S — 6, 2NT – 3.
David Bird — Knight Features
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