Not Obvious

Goren Bridge


Bob Jones

Dlr: North ♠ A J 9 7
Vul: Both A 9 4 3
A J 9 8
♣ 7
♠ Q 10 6 ♠ 5 3
K Q J 7 10 6
10 4 K Q 7 2
♣ K J 10 8 ♣ 9 6 5 3 2
♠ K 8 4 2
8 5 2
6 5 3
♣ A Q 4
North East South West
1 Pass 1♠ Pass
3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass

Opening lead: K
The bidding seemed easy enough, but the final contract was rocky. Two hearts and a diamond or two to lose, not to mention the big hole in the trump suit.
South ducked the opening K lead and won the Q continuation, noting the fall of the 10 from East. A spade to the king and a spade to the jack went well, and the ♠A drew the last trump. A heart to the eight and jack was followed by a heart to dummy’s nine, leaving this position:

Dlr: North ♠ 9
Vul: Both
A J 9 8
♣ 7
♠ — ♠ —
10 4 K Q 7 2
♣ K J 10 8 ♣ 9 6
♠ 8
6 5
♣ A Q 4

A club finesse, if successful, will make the contract. Can you see anything else? The winning line is to lead the J from the dummy to East’s queen and win the club shift with the ace. When another diamond fetches the 10 from West, win theA and take the ruffing finesse against East’s king!

What’s that you say? You didn’t even consider leading the J in this position? Neither did we.