Bridge - The Scotsman 18/06/12

SCOTLAND’S Open Team at the European Championships is Mike Ash/Miro Dragic; Irving Gordon/Bill Whyte; Douglas Piper/Alex Wilkinson, captain Charles Outred.

They have a wealth of experience, but face a tough challenge at this level Whyte/Gordon starred on this deal from the Camrose Trophy. The English South reached 4H after a transfer sequence where North’s 3H invited game in his six-card suit. West led a club to the queen and king, and declarer advanced the king of hearts. The English defender took his ace and returned a club. South now ran the ten of hearts to the jack, and the defence was finished. Declarer won the third club in hand, discarding a spade from dummy. He crossed to the king of diamonds, drew trump with the queen and nine, then returned to the ace of diamonds to discard a second spade on his last club. He lost just two hearts and a spade.

Bill Whyte ducked the king of hearts. Declarer ran the ten of hearts to the jack, and Bill returned a club to the ace. Declarer had to use the king of diamonds as an entry to knock out the ace of hearts. East played a third club, on which declarer discarded a spade from dummy.

When he now played a spade Irving Gordon hopped up with the ace to play his fourth club, promoting East’s eight of hearts into a winner.

Declarer counters the duck by playing a spade before the diamond to the king, but that was far from obvious.