Sunday, November 14, 2004
East-West vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x A J 10 9 4
u 7 6 3
v 6 5 4
w A 8
WEST EAST
x K 5 3 x Q 7 6
u K 2 u 10 9 8 5
v K Q 10 9 2 v 8
w K 4 3 w 10 9 6 5 2
SOUTH
x 8 2
u A Q J 4
v A J 7 3
w Q J 7
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 1x Pass
1NT Pass 2NT Pass
3NT Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of v
How do the bridge players of yesteryear measure up against today's stars? Certainly, bidding has made tremendous strides and the current crop of experts would outbid any team of yesteryear's stars. But there would be little, if anything, to choose in the play. Watch Life Master no. 3, the great Howard Schenken, sitting West, at work on this deal.
It is doubtful whether today's players would reach three no trump on this hand. A likely auction would be 1 D - 1 S - 1 NT. Against 3 NT, Schenken led the king of diamonds, East following with the eight and declarer falsecarding with the seven; but since East would have unblocked the jack holding that card, Schenken read the situation correctly and switched to the king of clubs!
A holdup would have done nothing other than cost a trick, so South won with the table's ace, came to hand with the queen of clubs and led the eight of spades. For the third time in four tricks, Schenken produced the king!
That put an end to declarer's chances. South tried gamely by winning with the ace and leading the jack of spades, which was allowed to hold. A heart to the queen lost to the king and declarer's last club stopper was removed. Try as he might, South could make no more than two tricks in each major, one diamond and three clubs -- down one.
XThis column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter for bridge players, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680.
& copy;2004 Tribune Media Services
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.