Every once in a while a hand comes up where you have to make a play that goes against the grain of everything that you have been taught. This is one of those hands.
West led the ace of diamonds. East played the seven. West shifted to the ten of hearts. At first glance, it would appear that declarer should play low, but watch what happens. East plays the nine of hearts to show that he likes this lead. Declarer wins the queen and draws trump, ending in dummy. The jack of clubs goes to West's queen and the two of hearts through the king produces two more tricks for the defense. The contract is defeated.
Let's go back to trick two. Declarer calls for the king. East wins the ace and returns the jack. Declarer plays the queen, holding his breath in case West started with only one heart. West plays the two. Declarer draws trump and runs the jack of clubs. West has no more hearts so he plays a diamond. Declarer trumps, enters dummy with a spade and repeats the club finesse. When this works, declarer is able to discard the third heart from dummy on his fourth club.
A lucky play? Maybe. But it is hard to argue with success.
District 5 of the American Contract Bridge League held the Rock and Roll Regional Bridge Tournament in Independence on January 11 - 15. The following players were successful in their respective events on January 14. Other results appeared last week and more will be listed in future columns.
Two Session Flight A Pairs (45 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Brian Meyer, Cheektowaga, NY, and Donna Steffan, East Amherst, NY. 2. Vernon De Jong, Sharon, PA, and Chet Mody, Greenville, PA.
Two Session Stratified B/C/D Pairs (48 pairs). Stratum B. 1. Michael Kammermayer, Hamilton, Ontaria, Canada, and Allan Coyne, Kitchener, Ontaria, Canada. 2. Art Bonneau, Bethel Park, PA, and Mary Lou D'Altorio, Pittsburg. Stratum C. 1. Betty Clay and Wayne Obitz, Indiana, PA. 2. Tommie Ruehr, Cleveland, and Lynn Nosse, Grafton. Stratum D. 1. Edith Dus-Garden, Stuart, FL, and Doug Henderson, Rocky River. 2. Pamela Jones, Shaker Heights, and Barbara Cunliffe, Cleveland.
Morning Swiss Teams (6 teams). Stratum A. 1. Lloyd Loux, Westlake, Jim Bachelder, Columbus, Robert Sulgrove, Spring Valley, and Richard Rudolph, Westerville. 2. Paul Facinelli, Avon Lake, Bernie Greenspan, Beachwood, Stan Dub and Niel Waletzky, Shaker Heights. Stratum B. 1. Judith and Marvin Shapiro, Akron, with Susan and Richard Roberts, Cuyahoga Falls.
Friday-Saturday Knock Out Teams. Bracket A (11 teams). 1.
Donald Rumelhard, Ann Arbor, MI, Stephen Mackay, Markhom,
Ontario, Canada, Allan Graves, Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada, and Anne Simon, Syracuse, NY. 2. Lloyd Loux, Westlake,
Roger Tiktin, Lakewood, Martin Baff, Beachwood, Jim Bachelder,
Columbus, Robert Sulgrove, Spring Valley, and Richard Rudolph,
Westerville. Bracket B (12 teams). 1. Charles and Donna Coleman,
Youngstown, D. Smith, Pampo, TX, and Mildred Artman, Henderson,
NV. 2. Julia Allen, Willoughby, James Gullo, Silver Creek, NY,
Joanne Kelley, Fredonia, NY, and Eugene Harvey, Lackawanna, NY.
Bracket C (16 teams). 1. Barbara and Martin Pieterse, Lancaster,
NY, with Allen Beroza, Judith and Robert Padgug, Amherst, NY. 2.
Bradley Sevcik, Boardman, Robert Carroll, Warren, Shirley and
Bill Schaffer, Youngstown, Jay Hitt, Goodlettsville, TN, and Tim
Butterbaugh, Paducah, KY.
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Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb0416@yahoo.com