BRIDGE

Both vulnerable. East deals.

NORTH

x8 5

uJ 10 7

vJ 8 2

wA K 8 5 2

WEST EAST

x10 9 3 xVoid

uQ 9 4 3 u8 5 2

v4 vK Q 10 9 7 6 5

wQ 10 9 7 3 wJ 6 4

SOUTH

xA K Q J 7 6 4 2

uA K 6

vA 3

wVoid

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

3v 6x Pass Pass

Pass

Opening lead: Four ofv

Boris Koytchou was a remarkable bridge player. He represented first France, then the United States in world competition and was regarded as the best rubber bridge player in New York. He was unflappable at the money bridge table, and always got the most out of his partners. He sat South on this deal from rubber bridge.

The auction was soon over. East started things with a three-diamond preempt and South closed the auction with his jump to the spade slam.

The play was as quick. West led the four of diamonds to the nine and ace. Declarer cashed the ace of spades, on which East discarded a diamond. Koytchou now claimed 12 tricks.

Question: Which trick did Koytchou concede?

You did well if you saw that he conceded a spade! The diamond lead was a marked singleton, so Koytchou continued by cashing a second high spade and then exited with the deuce. In with the third trump and down to nothing but hearts and clubs, West was hopelessly endplayed. A club would permit declarer to discard his two red-suit losers on the dummy’s top clubs and a heart would provide an entry to dummy when declarer covered with the ten — if East held the queen and covered, the jack would be the entry.

A HAPPY AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON TO ALL OUR READERS!

SCrt 2009 Tribune Media Services