Many new bidding ideas have become popular in various parts of the world. Today’s deal, from a recent expert match in Australia, illustrates one of them. We are very impressed. Our grandmother, had she chosen to open the South hand, would have reached the same contract. The main difference would be that North would be declarer.
East won the opening heart lead with the ace as South, cleverly played the king. East had nothing better to do, so he returned a heart. West ruffed and shifted to the seven of clubs. South needed the ace of clubs onside, as well as some other things going his way, so he rose with dummy’s king of clubs, winning the trick as East played the queen. South led a diamond to his ace and ruffed a diamond in dummy. The king of spades and a spade to his 10 drew the trumps and was followed by another diamond ruff. This was the position:
South led a club from dummy and, remarkably, the defense was helpless! Should East win with the jack he would have to lead into dummy’s hearts. West could overtake the jack, but that would make South’s 10 good.
