One of the best defenses ever

Which is the best bridge pair of all time?

In the United States, you would get many votes for Bob HammanBobby Wolff and Jeff Meckstroth-Eric Rodwell. In Europe, you would also get support for Pietro Forquet-Benito Garozzo.

The Italians produced arguably the best cooperative defense of all time in this deal, which occurred before transfer bids were commonplace. How did they defeat three notrump after Forquet (West) led the heart five: three, eight, king?

Declarer had seven top tricks (given trick one). If he could establish the diamonds, which looked easy to do, he would have no trouble coasting home with overtricks. But when he cashed the diamond ace, Forquet sacrificed his king!

From the revealing first trick, Forquet knew that he had to get his partner on lead for a heart play through declarer's remaining queenseven. Also, from the point-count, East couldn't have a quick entry. Perhaps East had jack-third of diamonds; hence the unblock.

Now declarer had eight tricks.

If the clubs were 3-2 and he could lose a club trick to West, he would be home. So, declarer played a diamond to the queen and led a low club. If Garozzo (East) had followed with the eight, declarer would have played low. But Garozzo put in the 10, forcing declarer to win with the king. Forquet dropped the queen!

Back in dummy after a spade to the ace, declarer tried another low club, but Garozzo played the jack, swallowing his partner's nine — a crocodile coup. Declarer played a third club, hoping West would win the trick, but that resulted in his finishing down three!