Bridge

GAME ALL: dealer South

] A 7 3

_ A

+ K J 10 9 7 4

[ Q 6 3

] J 9 8 2

_ K 6 5

+ 8 2

[ K 10 8 5

] Q 10 5

_ J 10 9 8 4 3

+ 6 5 3

[ 4

] K 6 4

_ Q 7 2

+ A Q

[ A J 9 7 2

DECLARER discarded deceptively on the run of dummy's long suit on this deal and one of the defenders had problems. South opened one Clubs (16+ points, any distribution). North gave a positive response of Two Diamonds and South showed his balanced hand by rebidding 2NT. As the partnership was committed to bidding game, North rebid his diamonds, promising at least six cards in the suit, and South rebid 3NT. Optimistically, North jumped to 6NT and all passed.

With an awkward lead (knowing only that North held long diamonds and South was balanced), West chose ]2 and was relieved when dummy played low and East produced the queen. Declarer took his king and started on the diamonds, over- taking his queen on the second round. On the third diamond, South threw [7. He needed only three club tricks and, escaping a heart lead, any 3- 2 break would do. The only real danger was that West held [K10xx(x). West (with four discards to find) was worried. He released a heart, then, when South threw a spade on the next diamond, so did he. But, on the next diamond, when South threw another spade, then what? Another spade would be fatal if South had started with ]K1064, and baring his _K was obviously dangerous, so he released a club. Now it was all over. Yes, declarer can always end- play West and succeed without deception but only by risking defeat if the clubs are 3-2 all the time. South's play was much safer!