bridge

July 8, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

bridge

Neither vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

xA Q J 9

uA 10 9

v10 5 2

w9 7 3

WEST EAST

x4 3 xK 10 8 7 6 5 2

uK J 2 u7 4 3

vJ 8 3 v7 4

wQ J 10 8 2 w4

SOUTH

xVoid

uQ 8 6 5

vA K Q 9 6

wA K 6 5

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1v Pass 1x Pass

2u Pass 3v Pass

4w Pass 4u Pass

4NT Pass 5u Pass

6v Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Queen of w

Opportunities for deceptive plays on defense are hard to spot. As is often the case, this one was found in postgame analysis.

After the reverse, North’s correction to three of opener’s first-bid suit was game-forcing. Two cue-bids and Blackwood led to a marginal diamond slam.

West led the queen of clubs, taken with ace. Declarer drew trumps in three rounds then led a low heart, inserting the nine when West followed low. When that held, declarer continued with the ace and queen of spades, discarding two clubs when East did not cover. South returned to hand with the remaining high club to lead another heart, and all declarer lost was one heart trick.

Suppose that, when declarer led a low heart, West had risen with the king! Now declarer has a choice of lines. If the king is an honest card, declarer can pick up East’s jack by simply running the ten and nine of hearts after discarding a club on the ace of spades — the alternative of cashing the ace of spades and taking a ruffing finesse for the king is less attractive. If it loses, the contract is doomed for lack of a quick entry to dummy to fall back on the heart finesse.

Which line would we adopt? The heart finesse of course, for down one. The beauty of such a falsecard by West deserves accolades from any connoisseur of the game.

2010 Tribune Media Services