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Fun Hand

by Bob Jones

Goren Bridge — October 21, 2022

Today’s deal was constructed for our entertainment. It was created by Richard Pavlicek, one of America’s great players. Pavlicek is from Florida.

West deals	Q 5 4		West	North	East	South
E-W vul	8 7 3		Pass	Pass	1 NT	3
	6 4 2		Pass	4	Pass	Pass
	K Q 9 2		Pass
J 9 7 6		K 10 8
—		K J 4
8 7 3		A K Q 9 5
8 7 6 5 4 3		J 10
	A 3 2
	A Q 10 9 6 5 2
Lead: 5	J 10
4 South	A

South won the opening club lead with his ace, perforce, and exited with the jack of diamonds. East won with the queen and continued with the ace and king. Declarer, according to Pavlicek, ruffed with the 10 of hearts and led the six of hearts overtaking it with dummy’s seven. East won with the jack, leaving this position:

win 8	Q 5 4		Trick	Lead	2nd	3rd	4th
	8 3		6. E	4	5	4	8
	—		7. N	K	J	2	6
	K Q 9		8. N	Q	K	A	7
J 9 7 6		K 10 8	9. S	2	6	3	5
—		K 4	10. N	9
—		9 5		Win the rest
8 7 6 4		J
	A 3 2
	A Q 9 5 2
	—
East leads	—

East had to give dummy an entry, and he did his best by leading the four of hearts. South played his five and won the trick with dummy’s eight. A spade was discarded on the king of clubs and the queen of clubs was led. East ruffed with the king of hearts, but South overruffed with the ace and led the two of hearts to dummy’s three. The nine of clubs gave South a discard for his last low spade. Making four!

[RP note: The gist of this construction, and truly remarkable play, is not how to make 4 but how to defeat it. See Rudolph’s Revenge]

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