Thursday, December 28, 2006
Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
Q J 7 3 2
K J 9
8 3
K J 6
WEST EAST
4 A 10 8 6
6 5 2 A 8 4 3
K 9 2 J 7 5
Q 10 8 7 5 3 4 2
SOUTH
K 9 5
Q 10 7
A Q 10 6 4
A 9
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1NT Pass 2 Pass
2 Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Seven of
This deal is from the Epson World Simultaneous Pairs some years ago. At the close of play, contestants were presented with hand records and analysis by one of your writers.
Most players reached four spades after starting with a transfer sequence as above, with South converting three no trump to four spades. At most tables the contract failed by one trick, the defense collecting two trump tricks and one in each red suit.
In Australia, one table produced a spectacular result against three no trump. West led a low club, declarer winning in hand with the nine. A spade was returned to the jack, and East allowed it to win. Declarer continued with a low spade covered by the eight and won with the king, West discarding a club.
Declarer switched to hearts, leading the ten to the table's jack. That, too, was allowed to win. Declarer changed to diamonds, leading a diamond to the ten, which won. Declarer had now won the first five tricks and had no idea what was going on!
South cashed the ace of clubs and led the seven of hearts, overtaking with the nine. Entries were at a premium, so declarer cashed the king of clubs, discarding a diamond, and the last diamond was led, declarer finessing the queen and the defenders were in control. West won with the king, cashed two club tricks and exited with a heart, East winning the ace and cashing the 13th heart and the ace of spades for down two.
Interesting hand. Had East-West taken any one of the five tricks after trick one, declarer would surely have come to nine, perhaps 10, tricks.
This 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. Send e-mail to gorenbridge@aol.com.
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