BRIDGE

SOMETIMES in defence you find yourself with too many trumps, ending up by being forced to ruff your partner's winners and lead away from your remaining trump holding. Here's a recent example.

East opened One Heart and South chose to overcall with One Spade rather than show his longer diamonds. West passed, and North raised to Four Spades. West doubled and led a heart. At first sight, dummy's values were all in the wrong places but declarer soon realised that he was in business. He won the heart lead with the ace and led the queen. East covered and South ruffed. Then he cashed the ace of diamonds and ruffed a diamond, discarded his singleton club on the jack of hearts, and led the king of clubs for a second ruffing finesse. Again, East covered and his ace was trumped.

Next came another diamond. It would not have helped West to ruff high and, after some thought, he discarded a club. Two of declarer's diamonds went away on the established clubs but West was able to ruff the third round. This left him with S AQ65 while South held S KJ10 D J. A low spade went to declarer's ten and he was able to exit with his diamond. West was forced to ruff and had to concede the last trick to South's king of trumps.

Love all; dealer East

North

] A9 8 2

_ A Q J 3

+ None

[ K Q J 6 4 3

West East

] A Q 6 5 4 ] None _ 9 6 4 _ K 10 8 7 5

+ 10 4 + K Q 9 6 5 [ 10 8 2 [ A 9 7

South

] K J 10 7 3

_ 2

+ A J 8 7 3 2

[ 5