This deal from the Bracketed Knockout Teams in Cincinnati caused some heated discussion. After a routine opening bid and overcall, West made a “very negative” double, North raised his partner’s suit, and East took a stab at 3 NT based on his powerful clubs. This contract would have been set two tricks, but South overbid to four spades, and East doubled.
West led his partner’s club suit, and East shifted to a trump at trick two, won by the king. Declarer next won the A and gave up a heart to West (East pitched a club); then the diamond shift was won by the ace. For the next four tricks, East was helpless as declarer crossruffed hearts and clubs. Finally, when a good heart was led from dummy, East ruffed and South pitched his losing diamond — making four spades doubled.
“Just lead a trump and we beat it two tricks!” East berated his partner. “Or at least lead the club jack so I can let you hold the lead for a diamond switch.”
“Sorry,” admitted West, “I just made a normal lead. I could have avoided this ugly mess if I just passed one spade. But I think you could have beaten it yourself.”
“There was nothing I could do,” argued East.
West was right. There were actually two ways for East to beat the contract. The simplest was a club return at trick two, which kills an entry to dummy and prevents declarer from establishing a long heart. But even after the trump shift, the defense could prevail with a spectacular gambit: East must ruff the second heart with his natural trump trick and lead his last trump.
© 2000 Richard Pavlicek
by Richard Pavlicek by Richard Pavlicek