Timely escape

By Djanwar Madjolelo

JAKARTA (JP): In round three of the American Contract Bridge League Summer National -- held at The Spingold in Albuguerque between July 25 and Aug. 4, 1997 -- Jeff Meckstroth accepted his opponents' bid and responded appropriately.

Dealer: West

Vulnerable: Both

NORTH

(S) A

(H) K 6 5 3 2

(D) K 10 4

(C) 9 7 5 4

WEST EAST

(S) Q 10 7 6 4 2 (S) K 9 5

(H) A 4 (H) 8

(D) J 5 3 (D) 9 7 6

(C) A Q (C) K 10 8 6 3

SOUTH

(S) J 8 3

(H) Q J 10 9 7

(D) A Q 8 2

(C) J

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH

Meckstroth Rodwell

1S Pass 2S* Pass

Pass Double Pass 3H

3S 4H Pass Pass

Double Pass Pass Redouble

4S Pass Pass Double

All pass

* Constructive raise with three trumps.

Over 2 Spade, Meckstroth might have made a game try or pre- emptive 3 Spade, but his decision to pass worked out well -- eventually.

When one of the opponents sent back 4 Heart doubled, Meckstroth realized that, if they were right, he was looking at a huge minus. In fact, North-South were cold for 11 tricks, so Meckstroth & Rodwell would have suffered minus 1480.

Thankful for the warning, Meckstroth pulled to 4 Spade, which was duly doubled.

North led the Ace Spade, and the defenders could have collected plus 200 with a Diamond switch, but North played a Heart instead. Meckstroth was now cold for his contract, but he had to play carefully. He had originally planned to cash the Club Ace, Queen, pull trumps, ending in dummy, and to throw a losing Diamond on the Club King.

After he played the Club Ace and South followed the Jack, which looked a lot like a singleton, Meckstroth revised his plan. He ruffed a Heart with the King Spade -- the key play -- and finessed the Spade 10 to pick up trumps. He ran trumps and overtook Club Queen. Plus 790 was a 12 IMP gain.

At the other table, Nickell and Richard Freeman defended a spade partial holding declarer to nine tricks.