Daily Bridge Club

Find the criminal

Alfred Sheinwold (1912-1997), who originated this column as “Sheinwold on Bridge” 60 years ago, was unparalleled as a columnist. He used to produce wonderful columns in which he challenged the reader to “find the criminal”: to discern who had made a clear error.

In some deals, the issue is not finding a criminal but separating the misdemeanors from the felonies. In today’s deal, North raised South’s two hearts — a weak jump-overcall — to game, and West led the deuce of clubs. East won with the king and shifted to a trump.

Declarer won in his hand, ruffed a club in dummy and returned a low diamond. West won and led another trump. South drew trumps and took the A-K of diamonds, but when the suit failed to break 3-3, he lost a second club and a spade. Down one. Can you find any criminals? South was felonious. He should lead a spade at Trick Three. West takes the king to lead a second trump, but South wins in dummy, ruffs a spade, ruffs a club, ruffs a spade and draws trumps. He can lead a diamond to dummy, ruff a spade and get back with a high diamond to take the good fifth spade for his 10th trick.

West was guilty of a misdemeanor (at least). East opened the bidding, and West has eight points with strength in spades and diamonds. North-South have bid game on a distributional fit, and South will surely need ruffing tricks to succeed. If West’s opening lead is a trump, South will fail.

I had the privilege of collaborating with the great Freddy Sheinwold for 11 years. I still miss his counsel.