I wonder why he was anonymous

FRANK-N-ERNEST®

GRIZZWELLS®

BIG NATE®

ARLO & JANIS®

ZITS®

When someone writes a column showing great declarer-play or defense by an unnamed player, one can usually deduce that the author was the expert. But that was not the case in this deal, because I asked the scribe. He said he did not know who had found the resourceful defense.

What happened in four spades after West led the club jack?

The bidding featured some questionable decisions. Although North did not have a singleton, the vulnerability was favorable, so he should have bid four spades immediately. East’s jump to three no-trump was imaginative. He hoped dummy had the club ace, and that he could collect one spade, six diamonds and two clubs. Here, three no-trump would have gone down two, but North was not willing to risk it.

West should have realized that his partner had a solid diamond suit, and if he had led a diamond, four spades would have had no chance. When he chose the club jack, South was still alive.

Declarer won with the club ace and cashed his three heart tricks, discarding a diamond from the dummy. Then he played a trump to the queen. East won with his ace and did what?

East could see only three defensive tricks: one spade, one diamond and one club. Clearly declarer would duck the second round of clubs to bring down the king.

In desperation, East cashed his club king, then led a low diamond!

South should have put up his jack, but without thinking, he played low. West, after being told that he really had won the trick with his 10, returned a club, which East ruffed to defeat the contract.