GOREN BRIDGE

GEO Tislevoll is recognized today as one of New Zealand's leading players. He first made a name for himself in his native Norway, where this deal was played almost 20 years ago. New Zealand is almost as far south as Norway is north. Tislevoll was South, playing in a pairs competition, where overtricks are very important.

Tislevoll won the opening heart lead with dummy's queen and led a club to his queen and West's king. West could have continued safely with a low heart, but the heart position was not clear to him. West chose to exit with the 10 of clubs to South's ace. Tislevoll led a low diamond, playing the 10 from dummy when West played low. East won with the king and led a heart to declarer's ace. Tislevoll led a diamond to the queen, came back to his hand with the ace of spades, and cashed the ace of diamonds to discard the eight of clubs from dummy.

Tislevoll cashed the queen of spades, led the eight of spades to dummy's king, and cashed dummy's seven of spades. This left a two-card ending with dummy holding the queen of hearts and the two of clubs and South holding the jack-four of clubs. West could not keep the king of hearts and both of his clubs and had to give Tislevoll the last two tricks. 11 tricks gave North-south a huge score on their way to victory in the event. Well done!