Playing From Hunger

by Barry Rigal

Or . . . faster than the eye can see.

Ramadan requires the devout Muslim not to eatbetween sunrise and sunset. Walid El Ahmady seems to be thriving in this unorthodox approach to bridge this is the second year in a row that the Egyptians have reached the final stages of a world championship (the Bermuda Bowl). This deal occurred in Egypt's Bermuda Bowl match against the Netherlands in Round 20.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ J 10 5 4 ♥ A 6 5 ♦ K J 10 9 2 ♣ J
♠ K 2 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 7 5 4 ♣ 9 7 5 3		♠ A 9 7 3 ♥ K Q 10 7 3 ♦ 6 ♣ K 6 2
	♠ Q 8 6 ♥ J 9 ♦ A 8 3 ♣ A Q 10 8 4

El Admady, North, reached 3NT after a 1♥ overcall by Louk Verhees, East. El Ahmady won the opening lead of the ♥K with the ace most players would duck, incorrectly as it happens on this layout. A club switch after two rounds of hearts will sink the contract. But such a defense, of course, is just about impossible to find without a peek at North's hand.

In any event, El Ahmady played the ♦J to the ace and ran the ♦8, then took three more diamonds. Verhees did the best he could, discarding deceptively pitching a club, a spade and a heart to reach this position:

	♠ J 10 5 4 ♥ 6 5 ♦ 9 ♣ J
♠ K 2 ♥ 4 2 ♦ - ♣ 9 7 5 3		♠ A 9 7 ♥ Q 10 7 ♦ - ♣ K 6
	♠ Q 8 ♥ J ♦ - ♣ A Q 10 8 4

On the last diamond, Verhees discarded the ♠9, trying to look like a man still holding three clubs and a singleton ♠A. Now declarer had a losing option: he could finesse in clubs, then exit with a spade to the hoped-for singleton ace, and take the ♣A Q at the end.

But El Ahmady had not come all the way to Estoril to misguess the ending: he played the ♣J to dummy's queen, cashed the ace, felling the king, and claimed his game for Plus 400.