Main Article 7H77 by Richard Pavlicek

Amazing Ending

This deal occurred on OKbridge, the online bridge server where you play against real people using your personal computer and a modem. I was East, in Fort Lauderdale, and my son Rich was West, in Chicago. Our opponents were both experts.

3 NT by South

E-W Vul
A 10 7 6
A
K Q 10 7 4
A K J
Q 8 5 3
10 9 8 7 6
J 6 3
3 Table J 9 4
K Q
A 9 5 2
Q 8 7 2
Lead: 10 K 2
J 5 4 3 2
8
10 9 6 5 4

West

Pass
Pass North
1
2
3 NT East
Pass
Pass
All Pass South
1
2 NT

North had an awkward hand to bid and correctly chose a simple one-bid. South eked out a response (to his later regret) and the auction snowballed into game. Three notrump is not a terrible contract, and it would make on a good day. This was not a good day.

Rich led from his solid heart sequence, and I played the king (the proper signal from K-Q). Declarer cashed the A-K and led the J, which I ducked to hold him to three club tricks (Rich discarded a heart and a spade). Now declarer led the K which I also ducked since I didn’t want to be on lead.

Getting desperate, declarer next led the Q to my ace. I shifted to the 4; two, queen, ace. Hoping to smother the 9, declarer next led the 10 and Rich perforce won the jack. Rich returned the 8 to the six, nine, and South’s king.

At this point there were four cards left, and I held the top card in all four suits ( J, Q, 9 and Q). Amazing! It’s probably not a first, but I can never recall a bridge deal where a defender won the last four tricks in four different suits.

Top Main

E-W Vul	A 10 7 6 A K Q 10 7 4 A K J
Q 8 5 3 10 9 8 7 6 J 6 3 3		J 9 4 K Q A 9 5 2 Q 8 7 2
Lead: 10	K 2 J 5 4 3 2 8 10 9 6 5 4