Award winners of last year

I hope you healthy 2020.

Each year, the International Bridge Press Association gives awards in various categories. The winner of the Keri Klinger Declarer Play of the Year was Michael Whibley from New Zealand. The journalist was Liam Milne from Australia. The deal occurred during a teams event in Sydney.

How did Whibley play in three notrump after West led the spade jack?

Three clubs was Puppet Stayman, asking for a five-card major. Three diamonds denied one.

Declarer had six top tricks: three spades, one diamond and two clubs. If the clubs could be played without loss, that would make life easy. But if he conceded a club trick, surely the defenders would shift to diamonds, and the contract would fail unless West had led from jack-10-third of spades.

Whibley spotted a clever deceptive play. He let the spade jack take trick one!

West understandably played another spade. Declarer then played three rounds of clubs. This was the defense’s last chance to find the diamond shift, but East, still under the trick-one idée fixe, played another spade. Then Whibley established his ninth trick in hearts.

Did Whibley’s team gain a game swing? Not quite! At the other table, South opened one club, showing 16 or more points, and West unwisely doubled, promising a major twosuiter. When North ended in three no-trump, East led the heart two. Declarer then played the club suit correctly and ended with 11 tricks. So Whibley’s team lost two international match points.

all have a happy and