Bridge

South found this deal full of problems, both in the bidding and in the play. It started simply enough: he opened One Heart and his partner raised to Two Hearts, but now East intervened with Three Diamonds, leaving South little room to make any sort of try below the game level. He contemplated doubling (would this have been for penalties?) in view of the vulnerability but, as you can see, this would not have been a success. Eventually he plumped for a direct jump to Four Hearts and all passed.

West led Three Diamonds against Four Hearts and South was pleased to see his partner’s values, such as they were, lay in the right places. East won and played a second diamond. A switch would have been better but it was just possible that his partner had led a singleton. Declarer ruffed and finessed the spade jack at trick three. East took his king and belatedly tried his singleton club.

Declarer won with his ace, crossed to the spade ace, and ruffed another diamond in hand. Then he cashed his two top trumps and, when the queen did not fall, followed with the queen of spades. Although West could see what was coming, there was little that he could do and he discarded a club. Now South ruffed his last spade on the table and triumphantly exited with the remaining trump to West’s queen, discarding a club from hand. This left West on lead with Q 9 and South was able to claim the rest.

How would you classify the play? Reverse dummy, elimination, and throw-in, I suppose. But very neat, whatever you call it.