Phillip Alder
Phillip Alder
Source: ACBL: “Phillip Alder is a columnist for The New York Times and a syndicated columnist for 22 years with United Feature Syndicate. His column appears in over 200 papers worldwide. He has also helped to produce the Daily Bulletins at various WBF Championships and is a member of the WBF Youth Committee. Alder is the Associate Editor of The Bridge World magazine.” IMPs Dealer South. Both Vul
Q 3 A 8 7 A 6 5 3 2 A 4 3
A K K 10 9 6 5 4 K Q J K Q
West North East South
2
Pass 2 Pass 2
Pass 4NT1 Pass 5
Pass 6 End
1- Roman Key Card Blackwood. South’s 5response promise two key cards but denies the queen of trump. West leads the J.

How should you plan the play as South?

What would you do if you were in 7

With no side-suit worries, in 6 you must avoid two trump losers. There is a safety play to ensure this. Lead a low trump from hand and cover West’s card as cheaply as posible. Here, if West plays the two (or three), you insert dummy’s seven and win the trick. If West puts in an honor, win with the dummy’s ace and, when East discards, concede a trump trick to West. If West discards on the first trump, rise with dummy’s ace a lead through East’s honors. Finally, if West plays an honor on the initial trump play and East follows with a low card continue with the 8, planning to play low from hand if East follows suit with the remaining low card. In 7, you must find trumps 2-2 or guess which opponent has a singleton honor. Suppose you think it is East. Start by cashing the K. If East does drop an honor, finesse on the next round through West. You will lose only to Q-J doubleton in East hand. The complete deal:
Q 3 A 8 7 A 6 5 3 2 A 4 3
J 10 9 7 Q J 3 2 8 4 9 5 2 8 6 5 4 2 — 10 9 7 J 10 8 7 6
A K K 10 9 6 5 4 K Q J K Q

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