CAN YOU MAKE HIM MISREAD?

As I was writing this set of columns, it was announced that the Summer North American Bridge Championships, scheduled for July in Montreal, have been canceled.

The World Bridge Championships were held in that Canadian city in 2002. One of the best opening leads ever was found by Paul Soloway. He held the West hand. What did he lead against six clubs?

Over Soloway’s modern-style weak two-bid, North made a highly debatable two-spade overcall. With minimum or subminimum values, you ought to be short in the opener’s suit, not long. Bob Hamman (East) raised hearts to consume bidding space. South first advanced with four diamonds, then jumped to six clubs, reaching a reasonable slam.

As you can see, success depended upon declarer’s handling of his trump suit. What is the recommended line?

In isolation, South would cash his club ace, then lead toward dummy’s queen. So, South seemed destined for success. However, Soloway led the heart king! Understandably, declarer placed the heart king and ace with him. If so, he was unlikely to have the club king, because then he might have opened one heart. So, after ruffing, declarer played a diamond to dummy’s queen and ran the club queen.

West won with his king and led back the diamond jack.

Now South was sure that West could not have the club jack, because with 12 high-card points (heart ace-king, diamond jack and club king-jack) he certainly would have opened one heart, not two. Declarer ruffed on the board and played a club to his 10. Disaster — down one.