A GREAT TALENT LOST TOO YOUNG

One of the most naturally talented players, not just in the United States but also the world, Justin Lall, has died at the very early age of 33 from liver disease.

He was a two-time world junior team champion, and he won a silver medal in the 2011 Bermuda Bowl world team championship. He captured six national championships, and at the time, aged only 25, was the youngestever Grand Life Master, which requires 10,000 masterpoints and a national title.

In today’s deal, Lall, sitting East, heard his opponents bid their full values in reaching game. Aware that the suits were breaking badly for declarer, Lall doubled three no-trump.

Often, this double would have requested a specific lead from partner — either the first suit bid by the dummy or West’s shorter major — but not after this crawl-into-game sequence. So Hemant Lall (West), Justin’s father, led the club 10. At trick two, Justin accurately switched to a spade. Declarer took the trick with dummy’s king and played a club to the queen and ace. West shifted to his heart, East’s nine driving out South’s ace. Declarer cashed his spade winners and led his last spade. West played a diamond to the jack and ace.

If South had been Justin Lall, he would have cashed his club jack, then led a red suit, catching East in an endplay to escape for down one. But declarer immediately ran the diamond 10. East won and returned a diamond to dummy’s king. South played a club to his jack, then had the choice of giving the last two tricks to either defender: down two.