CAN YOU SMELL THE TRUMP SPLIT?
Liz Taylor said, “There is no deodorant like success.” Bridge experts have a good nose for sniffing out the placement of the unseen cards — as South did in this deal.
East opened with a natural, weak four diamonds, South overcalled four hearts, and everyone passed. West led the diamond jack, of course. Declarer probably should have played low from the board, but he covered with the queen. East won with his king and continued with the diamond ace. What happened after that?
East’s opening bid made reaching three no-trump fairly difficult! But with that crazy a hand, he had good reason to think that three no-trump would not be his side’s last making contract.
South ruffed the second diamond with his heart 10, and West smoothly discarded a club.
Declarer was very suspicious. He led the heart seven from his hand and ran it when West played low. After East pitched a diamond, South took his top clubs and ruffed his last club with the heart king. (West threw a spade.) Now declarer ruffed the diamond 10 with his heart eight. West overruffed, but was endplayed. When he tried the spade king, South won with his ace, cashed the spade queen and exited with the heart four. West had to lead from his queen-three into declarer’s ace-nine.
That was brilliant play by the best young Italian player, 17-year-old Giovanni Donati. But even he could not have made his contract if West had overruffed at trick two and returned a club or low heart. Copyright United Feature Syndicate (Asia Features)