This hand is from a Thursday night duplicate game at the Solon Senior Center, 35000 Portz Parkway, Solon. This is an open game that starts at 6:45 p.m.
Victor Vertes of Cleveland held the South cards and his partner was Marlene Zinamon of Beachwood. West felt that her hand was too strong for a pre-emptive opening bid, though that may have made things more difficult for North-South. North's two spade bid showed a two suiter, hearts and an unspecified minor. Vertes certainly liked hearts and soon found himself to be the declarer in a small slam.
West led the ace of spades and declarer trumped in dummy. Things did not look great from his perspective, but you have to play the hand you are dealt. Trumps were drawn in one round. Declarer played a diamond to the ace. He cashed the king of diamonds and led his third diamond and trumped it in the dummy. The ace of clubs was cashed and a small club was next. So long as the clubs broke 3-2 with the king and queen in separate hands (or the king-queen doubleton) the contract could not be defeated. Here is the position after the ace of clubs is cashed:
The two of clubs is led and East must play the queen. If West overtakes with the king, the jack of clubs becomes a winner. If East is allowed to win the trick he must lead a spade or a diamond. In either case, declarer will discard his last club and trump in the dummy. Just beautiful!
District 5 of the American Contract Bridge League sponsored the Rock and Roll Regional Bridge Tournament from January 12 to 16 in Independence. The following players were successful in their respective events on January 14. Other results appeared last week, more will be listed in future columns.
Two Session Open Pairs (76 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Frank Treiber III, Toledo, and Diane Travis, Cincinnati. 2. Peter Grover, Aurora, and Kumar Bhatia, Pepper Pike. Stratum B. 1. Rosalyn Sukenik, Cleveland, and Diane Wasserman, University Heights. 2. Robert Phifer, Willoughby, and D. Albertone, Wickliffe. Stratum C. 1. Kurt Rusch, Mayfield Heights, and Dot Rock, Cleveland. 2. Martin and Robin Mayer, Westlake.
Evening Swiss Teams (12 teams). Stratum A. 1. Sukumar Roy, Shaker Heights, Julia Bomalaski, Cocoa Beach, FL, Gail Buffington and Roy Scharrenberger, Cleveland. 2. Marvin and Judith Shapiro, Akron, Richard and Susan Roberts, Cuyahoga Falls. Stratum B. 1. The Shapiros and the Roberts. 2. Miriam Tamburro, Cleveland, Betty Holdstein, Beachwood, Martha Wilk, Willoughby, and Clare Kromer, Lyndhurst. Stratum C. 1. The Shapiros and the Roberts. 2. Arnold and Arlene Roberts, Pittsburgh, PA, and Philip and Bunny Miller, Monroeville, PA.
Afternoon Continuous Pairs (26 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Nancy Evans, Cuyahoga Falls, and Mary Gleghorn, Stow. 2. Tony Asher, Moreland Hills, and Husein Nakhooda, Rocky River. Stratum B. 1. Evans and Gleghorn. 2. Asher and Nakhooda. Stratum C. 1. Asher and Nakhooda. 2. Walter Callam, Aurora, and Charles Callam, Bloomfield Hills, MI.
Evening Continuous Pairs (32 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Donald and Katy Moyer, Silver Lake. 2. Niel and Joan Ann Waletzky, Beachwood. Stratum B. 1. The Moyers. Tied for 2/3. Michael Stahr and Jayne Fleming, Akron, with James and Linda Stahl, Chagrin Falls. Stratum C. 1. The Moyers. 2. The Stahls.
Afternoon Non-Life-Master Pairs (20 pairs). Stratum A. 1. John and Marianne Parker, Cleveland. 2. Mary and John Elder, Cleveland. Stratum B. 1. William and Mary Roberts, North Ridgeville. 2. Nancy Schreck, Solon, and Joanne Stoddard, Sagamore Hills. Stratum C. 1. Schreck and Stoddard. 2. William Issa, Shaker Heights, and Barbara Tuber, Beachwood.
Evening Non-Life-Master Pairs (14 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Rita
Davis, Avon Lake, and Sue Pisanelli, Parma. 2. Emme Hawn and
Kathleen Horan, Erie, PA. Stratum B. 1. Davis and Pisanelli. 2.
Ildiko Baxter, Cleveland Heights, and Marilyn Doman, Chagrin
Falls.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb19@adelphia.net