bridge

bridge

Both vulnerable. North deals.

NORTH

xK 6 4 2

u9 6 4 2

v10 7 5 3

wJ

WEST EAST

xJ 10 7 3 x9 8 5

uQ J 10 3 u5

vJ 2 vA Q 6

w9 7 5 wK 10 8 6 4 3

SOUTH

xA Q

uA K 8 7

vK 9 8 4

wA Q 2

The bidding:

NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST

Pass Pass 2w Pass

2v Pass 2NT Pass

3w Dbl 3u Pass

4u Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: Five of w

The trail of a missing British financier suspected of making off with millions of pounds sterling brought Sherlock Holmes and his assistant, Dr. Watson, to New Orleans at the same time as the ACBL Summer North American Championships were being held there. The great detective could not resist taking a night off to play in one of the side games, where he became declarer at four hearts after a two-club opening bid and a later Stayman inquiry by Watson.

After a club opening lead and the bad trump break, it might seem that declarer must lose two trump tricks and two diamonds, but Holmes’ skill at declarer play was well known at his London club. After capturing East’s king of clubs with the ace, declarer cashed the ace of hearts, cleared the ace and queen of spades and ruffed a club. The king of spades was used for a diamond discard and led a diamond, East rising with the ace.

A low diamond return was taken with the king and was followed with the queen of clubs, ruffed in dummy! Declarer now had nine tricks — three spades, two hearts, ace of clubs, king of diamonds and two club ruffs. He simply led a spade from the table and he could not be stopped from scoring the fulfilling trick by ruffing en passant, to use a chess term.

2010 Tribune Media Services