Will you even think of making this play?

To end the week, we will look at two great plays. This deal was originally written up by Knut Kjaernsrod and declared by Boye Brogeland, both from Norway. Brogeland, age 45, is a personable expert. He got a lot of publicity three years ago when he led the move to have high-profile cheats removed from the game. He was the International Bridge Press Association’s Personality of the Year in 2015, and one year later received the Sydney Lazard Jr. Sportsmanship Award from the American Contract Bridge League. He is also the editor of Bridge i Norge magazine. How did Brogeland play in four spades after West led the club jack: two, five...? North’s four-diamond bid showed a strong four-spade opening. We would have taken the first trick and wondered how to continue. Brogeland paused when the dummy came down and East played the club five. Now Brogeland knew that West had led a singleton. If declarer took the first trick, he could unblock dummy’s heart ace, but then what? Even if East had the diamond ace, there were surely at least four losers. Brogeland let West win the first trick! After a heart to the ace, declarer cashed the spade ace and continued with the spade queen. East led the club king, but South won with his ace, discarded dummy’s last two clubs on his high hearts, ruffed a club, drew East’s last trump and conceded one diamond. Yes, a tad lucky, but if Brogeland had won trick one, he would have failed. Not many would have found that play.