Rosenberg defeats Vugraph

by Barnet Shenkin (USA)

Board 6. Dealer East. EW Game ª A 3 © K 10 7 5 4 ¨ A J 7 § Q 4 3 ª 10 4 2 ª K J 9 8 6 © J 9 6 3 2 © Q ¨ 10 8 6 2 ¨ K 9 3 § J § A K 5 2 ª Q 7 5 © A 8 ¨ Q 5 4 § 10 9 8 7 6

Michael Rosenberg declared Two Hearts on the lead of the club ace . Now a low club was led by East and ruffed by West, who played a spade. At this point declarer studied the position for some time. The commentators suggested he should win the spade ace and return a spade to East's king. Now if East won, cashed a club and played another spade, declarer would be able win in dummy and play black winners through West, eliminating one of his losers. However, when East wins the spade king he would cash the king and now exit with the heart queen.

ª — © K 10 7 5 ¨ A J 7 § — ª — ª J 9 8 © J 9 6 © — ¨ 10 8 6 2 ¨ K 9 3 § — § 5 ª Q © 8 ¨ Q 5 4 § 10 9

When declarer leads a black winner, West can ruff in and the defense will still come to a diamond and a heart. In fact, this was exactly the way the defense went when Martel and Stansby were defending the same contract for down one. However, Rosenberg, at trick four led a heart to dummy and passed the heart eight. Now he was able to put East in with a club to leave this position:

ª — © K 10 7 5 ¨ A J 7 § — ª 10 ª J 9 8 © J 9 © — ¨ 10 8 6 2 ¨ K 9 3 § — § 5 ª Q 7 © — ¨ Q 5 4 § 10 9

East cashed the spade king and played a club and west was given Hobson's choice of either giving up his trump trick or discarding and losing the defensive diamond trick. So declarer could not be prevented from making his contract. So the single dummy player defeated the commentators playing with open cards in the vugraph room and the resultant swing of 4 IMPs was exactly the margin of victory.