Ted Horning has written the daily syndicated column Canadian Bridge with Torstar Syndicate for over eighteen years-6600 columns and has been teaching bridge for more than thirty years. He has represented Canadian si different World Championship events.
“Between the idea and the reality
Between the motion and the act
Falls the shadow”. T. S. Eliot.
IMPs Dealer South. Both Vul
 Q J 9 4
 6 5 3
 J 6 2
 Q J 3 |
| A K 10 7 5 2
A Q 4
Q
A 5 2 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 |
|||
| Pass | 2 |
Pass | 4 |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
K
West won the first trick with the K and shifted to the 10. Find the shadow.
East is the shadow. If he ever gains the lead and plays a heart,, South is in danger of losing one diamond, one club and two hearts.
The contract is secure as long as East can be kept off lead. Let’s reconsider the problem now that the shadow has been spotted.
West certainly wouldn’t shift to a club holding the king so East has that card. If we must keep East off lead, the best time to start is now. Duck the 10 and let West win that trick. Surely West will continue the suit.
Now, however, East will never gain the lead. One way or the other, South will win the second club trick. A spade to dummy’s 9 is following by a diamond ruff. One high spade from the South hand extracts the missing trump and now a third round of clubs eliminates that suit. Cross to the dummy with a trump and play J, discarding a heart. West may win the A but is then endplayed, forced to return a heart or concede a ruff and discard with a minor suit return. South loses only two diamonds and a club.
The complete deal:
| Q J 9 4
6 5 3
J 6 2
Q J 3 |
||
| 8 3
K 8 7 2
A K 9 5
10 9 6 |
6
J 10 9
10 8 7 4 3
K 8 7 4 |
|
| A K 10 7 5 2
A Q 4
Q
A 5 2 |
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