Goren on Bridge
Today’s deal is from the Kay Platinum Pairs, contested recently with an international field in Philadelphia. East was Norwegian star Espen Lindqvist.
North-South put on the brakes accurately in three hearts. A spade lead or early shift would have defeated the contract easily, but West can hardly be faulted for his diamond lead. South won the opening lead with dummy’s ace and led the jack of hearts to West’s king.
A spade shift would have been a winner, but that looked dangerous to West, who continued with the king of diamonds, ruffed by South. A heart went to West’s ace and another diamond was ruffed by South.
South drew the last outstanding trump with his queen and led a low club to dummy’s seven — a good play. East won with the queen and shifted to a spade, but was it too late? Declarer won the shift with his ace and led the 10 of clubs, ducked in dummy and also ducked, brilliantly, by Lindqvist!
Declarer was convinced that West had started with the king-nine-five-four of clubs and led a club to dummy’s jack expecting to bring home an overtrick and then give his partner a mock lecture about not bidding enough.
To his horror, Lindqvist won with his king of clubs and led another spade. South won this with his king, but there was no entry to the club winner in dummy. Declarer had to surrender a spade trick and finished down one. Great play!
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