West leads the jack of diamonds after a simple no trump auction to game. Declarer tries the queen, but of course East produces the king. There is no good reason not to duck and declarer declines this trick. He wins the diamond continuation and counts his tricks.
If clubs divide 2-1 he can play ace and another club and be able to cash four club tricks in the dummy, but as soon as the defense wins their club they will cash at least three diamonds, defeating the contract.
Aware that playing on clubs will lead to defeat, declarer decides to play for seven major suit tricks to go along with his two minor suit aces. To this end he plays a heart to the jack. That holds and he leads a small spade to the jack, which also holds. Now a heart to the ace provides the entry for another low spade. The king is captured by the ace. A small spade to the queen followed by a club to the ace places him back in the closed hand so that he can cash the two major suit winners. This adds up to nine tricks.
Did you notice that if declarer had initially led the queen of spades from dummy instead of low spades, East would have covered and declarer would have been a trick short. Count your tricks and watch your spots, good advice for every player.
The All-American Regional Bridge Tournament was held in Independence from May 24 to 30. Congratulations to the following players who were successful in their respective events on May 28. Other results appeared previously and more will be listed in future columns.
Two session stratified pairs (69 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Jerome Rolnick, Lyndhurst, and Marge Baldwin, Akron. 2. Judith Zimmerman, Columbus, and John Stubbe, Jr., Dublin. Stratum B. 1. Donna Largent, Cleveland, and Gary Montain, Westlake. 2. Mary Anne Kriesen, Mentor, and Charlene Collins, Willoughby. Stratum C. 1. Kriesen and Collins. 2. Steve McCafferty and Marsha Reall, Columbus.
Evening Swiss teams (15 teams). Stratum A. 1. Lloyd Loux, Westlake, Jim Bachelder, Columbus, Robert Sulgrove, Spring Valley, and Richard Rudolph, Westerville. 2. Alan Steggles, Ravenna, Monica Early, Cuyahoga Falls, Ann Carpenter, Fairlawn, and Virginia Bissig, Bear Lake, MI. Stratum B. 1. Steggles, Early, Carpenter, and Bissig. 2. Kip and Janis Westmeyer, Perrysburg, with Edward and Kay Westmeyer, Holland. Stratum C. 1. The Westmeyer team. 2. Wayne and Mary Jane Pickett, Stow, Dave Anthony,East Liverpool, and Mary Southwick, Lisle, IL.
Afternoon side game (28 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Bernard Heyman, Shaker Heights, and Susan Stark, Cleveland. 2. Jack and Felicia Shapiro, Beachwood. Stratum B. 1. Heyman and Stark. 2. Peter Miller, Shaker Heights, and Linda Rice, Worthington. Stratum C. 1. Miller and Rice. 2. Sheila Fox, Cleveland, and Leyton Kest, Beachwood.
Evening side game (18 pairs). Statum A. 1. Niel and Joan Ann Waletzky, Shaker Heights. 2. Beverly Dana, Centerville, and Joe Riess, Dayton. Stratum B. 1. Dana and Riess. 2. John Viola, North Ridgeville, and Clarence Kofron, Kunkletown, PA. Stratum C. 1. Dana and Riess. 2. Lia Staaf, Rocky River, and Thomas Ball, Lakewood.
Afternoon non life master pairs (16 pairs). 1. Frederick and Adele Gottlieb, Gahanna. 2. Catherine Konicsak and Bruce Venrick, Columbus.
Evening non life master pairs (10 pairs). 1. Tom Epple,
Lakewood, and Dora Szabo, Pittsburgh. 2. Gene and Mildred Myers,
New Port Richey, FL.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb19@adelphia.net