Contract Bridge

Famous Hand

The bidding: West North East South 3 [C] 3 [D] 3 [S] 5 [H] Pass 6 [D] Pass 6 [H] Opening lead — nine of spades. Declarer sometimes finds himself playing a contract that seems utterly hopeless. When this unpleasant situation arises, declarer is nevertheless obliged to seek a way to surmount his difficulties. With the proper frame of mind, he might occasionally find a solution to his predicament. Consider this deal, a classic of its kind, which was played many years ago by Charles Solomon. You might not approve of the bidding, but, be that as it may, Solomon wound up in six hearts, and West led his singleton spade. Superficially, the slam appears impossible to make. South seemingly must lose a spade and a club and go down one. However, Solomon made the contract — and there was absolutely nothing the defenders could do to stop him. He won the spade lead with dummy's ace and started out spectacularly by cashing the A-K of diamonds, on which he discarded the K-Q of clubs! He then ruffed a diamond, establishing the suit, and drew the opposing trumps, discarding two spades from dummy. Solomon now made his bid for fame and fortune by leading the deuce of clubs toward dummy's J-8. Whether West, who had nothing but clubs remaining, went up with the ace or not, declarer could not be prevented from discarding his three spade losers on dummy's diamonds to bring home the slam. Had Solomon instead discarded two of his spade losers on the A-K of diamonds before establishing the suit, he would have failed against best defense. By taking the ace of clubs at the proper moment, West could prevent declarer from getting back to dummy, and South eventually would have lost both a spade and a club for down one.