Spots Before Your Eyes

Mark Horton

If you want to follow the VuGraph match from the comfort of your hotel room all you have to do is log on to www.Bridgebase.com - they are transmitting from several tables during the round robin stage – or www.e-bridge.com.

I was loosely following the exciting Round 3 Bermuda Bowl match between USA1 and Norway – along with close to 1,000 other spectators - when I noticed a deal where an inattentive defender might make a mistake.

Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
	ª K 10 8 7 © K 8 5 2 ¨ K J § Q 10 7
ª J 4 © 9 4 ¨ 10 9 8 5 4 § K J 6 4		ª A Q 3 2 © - ¨ A 7 6 3 2 § 9 8 3 2
	ª 9 6 5 © A Q J 10 7 6 3 ¨ Q § A 5

West	North	East	South
Grotheim	Hamman	Aa	Soloway
			1©
Pass	3¨*	3©*	3ª
4§	4©	5§	5©
All Pass

At the other table East/West had taken the ‘phantom’ save in Five Diamonds – I say phantom because as you are about to discover, one might allow South to emerge with ten tricks in hearts.

West led the jack of spades, which was covered by the king and ace. East took his time, (I know what he was thinking about) and eventually cashed the queen of spades and then played the three of spades. West ruffed, and imagining that the three of spades was a low card, he switched to a club, enabling declarer to escape for one down.

It was brilliant play on the part of Paul Soloway to conceal the two of spades, especially as it was in East’s hand!