Back to the table in Northern Europe BRIDGE

Some countries have held top-level atthe-table bridge events. The first three were, I believe, in Poland, Latvia and Norway.

The Norwegian pairs championship was played in September at Kragero. The teams championship took place one month later at Latvik, an hour’s drive up the coast from Kragero. Today’s deal features great play by Tom Johansen, whose team finished second. It was reported by Knut Kjaernsro.

How did Johansen play in four spades after West led the diamond queen to dummy’s king?

Note that South’s jump to four spades promised at least five trumps. Since North might have raised with only three spades in a minimum 3=1=4=5 or 3=4=1=5 hand, South, with only four spades, should rebid three no-trump. Then North will pass with three spades or correct to four spades with four-card support.

Declarer seemed destined to lose one heart and three clubs. How could he make one loser evaporate?

Johansen drew trumps in three rounds, played his second diamond to dummy’s ace and called for the club 10. If East had covered with his queen, it would have clarified the position, but he played low. Now West, after winning with the club ace, wasn’t sure what was happening. He shifted to the heart jack. South played low from the board and dropped the nine from his hand! West, thinking that he had found the killing defense, continued with the heart two. Declarer took East’s queen with his ace, played the heart three to dummy’s eight and discarded a club on the heart king. Cool!