A world title win from 18 years ago

As I mentioned earlier, the 2002 World Bridge Championships were held in Montreal, where we had expected to go in July for the Summer North American Championships. But these have been cancelled following the decision by the Quebec government to close the convention hall until at least September 1. In 2002, the women’s McConnell Cup was won by the American powerhouse team of Lynn Deas-Beth Palmer, Irina Levitina-Kerri Sanborn and Jill Meyers-Randi Montin. In the diagramed deal from the final, both teams reached four spades, but the losers played it from the North side, which, at first glance, looked more favourable, avoiding an immediate heart lead through the queen. However, after West ruffed the third heart, she shifted to a diamond. North won with her ace and hoped to collect four club tricks. With double-dummy play including finessing the spade eight on the second round of the suit, the contract could have been made, but at the table, it was not.

In the given auction, one club just showed 16 or more points. The rest was natural. East took the first three tricks in hearts. Then she led a fourth heart, ruffed by West’s spade nine and overruffed by dummy’s queen. Deas (South) cashed the spade king, played a spade to her eight, took the spade ace and ran the club jack. The finesse won, but when East showed out on the next club, declarer ruffed the fourth club in her hand and ran the diamond queen successfully to make her contract. Nicely played.