The Bidding: EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH Pass Pass 2C(1) 2D Pass 2NT Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass 1. Precision - shows 11 to 15 points and either a six card club suit or a five card club suit and a four card major.
Opening Lead: HK
The Generali Group, a European Insurance conglomerate, sponsored the 42nd Generali European Open and Ladies Team Championships from June 17th through July 2nd in Vilamoura, Portugal. Patrick Jourdain of Great Britain nominated this hand as the "Best Played Hand" of the tournament.
The opening lead was the king of hearts. This had the effect of removing an entry from dummy, making the matter of setting up the diamonds a problem. Declarer, Pierre Chidiac of Lebanon, won the ace and led a diamond to the king, which was allowed to hold the trick. The five of diamonds was led. West threw a heart and East took the queen with the ace.
On lead for what may be the last time, East led partner's suit, clubs. The ten was covered by the jack and declarer allowed that to hold the trick. West cashed the queen of hearts and exited with the five of hearts. This removed an entry from the South hand making it near to impossible to reach any extra spade tricks.
Declarer cashed his last heart. West threw a club, dummy a diamond, and East, a spade. Up to this point declarer had scored three heart tricks and one diamond. He was sure of getting one club, one spade, and another diamond for a total of seven. The six of spades was tabled and West ducked. He held only black cards and if he won he would not be able to exit without giving up the game. Here is the five card ending:
The lead was in the North and declarer could only afford to lose one more trick. He called for the jack of diamonds. East followed, declarer pitched a club, and West had to make a discard. If he threw a club, declarer could cash the ace of clubs and lead another club, end playing West in spades, so West discarded the eight of spades. After all, there appeared to be no entry to the South hand.
Declarer however, rose to the occasion. He cashed the ace of clubs and led a diamond off the dummy to East who had nothing left but spades. On the forced spade return, declarer played the ace, capturing West's now singleton king, and scored the jack of spades for his ninth trick.
In what might prove to be one of the most important developments in the history of the game, bridge was officially admitted into the Olympic movement on June 15, 1995. Jose Damiani, President of the World Bridge Federation, received the following letter from Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee: "Dear Mr. President,
Allow me to inform you that the 104th session of the International Olympic Committee which met in Budapest has, today, ratified the decision of the Executive Council of the Olympic Committee to grant recognition to the World Bridge Federation (WBF) as a recognized organization in accordance with Article 4 of the Olympic Charter.
I take this opportunity of congratulating you on the efforts you have made to achieve this objective and we are pleased to welcome you to the Olympic Family.
Assuring you at all times of my consideration,
Juan Antonio Samaranch
Marques de Samaranch"
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