BRIDGE with Bob Jones

The recent World Youth Open Championships drew a large number of young bridge players from around the world. There were 180 players from China alone. South in today’s deal was 15-year-old Noah Apteker, son of South African star Alon Apteker. The lively auction, especially East’s bidding, reflects the exuberance of youth.

Apteker ducked the opening spade lead in dummy and lost to East’s queen. East shifted, remarkably, to the king of clubs and continued clubs to his partner’s ace. West continued with a third club, hoping East held the jack of hearts. East ruffed with the seven of hearts and Apteker over-ruffed. Young Apteker recognized that all of the ingredients were there for a squeeze, and he played the hand accordingly.

Apteker led a heart to the ace and cashed the king of hearts, drawing trumps. He now made the key play of cashing the ace of spades before overtaking the nine of hearts back to his hand. He cashed two more hearts, discarding spades from dummy. West discarded a diamond and two clubs on the hearts, and East three spades and a diamond. On the last heart, West had to discard another diamond in order to keep the jack of clubs. The 10 of clubs, no longer needed, was discarded from dummy. East also had to discard another diamond in order to keep the king of spades. As Apteker hoped, the ace, king, and four of diamonds took the last three tricks. Well done!