Innocent Discard

West's first discard looked to be completely harmless on this deal from the McConnell Qualifying, but it proved to have fatal consequences,

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

West	North	East	South
Tornay	Pollack	Michaels	Disa
			1NT
Pass	2§	Pass	2¨
Pass	2NT	Pass	3NT
All Pass

When dummy went down, Hjordis Eythorsdottir (Disa) did not feel very hopeful of success. Things improved a little when she played low from dummy and the king popped up. Still, where was a ninth trick to be found?

Disa won the ace of clubs and crossed to dummy with a spade to lead a heart for the queen and king. West, Claire Tornay, had no reason to know the true heart position and, of course, if declarer held the ©A. she would have only one of the top diamonds. So Tornay switched to a low diamond for the jack and king. Now Disa played a second spade to dummy and Tornay pitched a heart, as would many of us, I think. The contract was now cold!

Disa played a second heart and Terry Michaels, sitting East, won. But West's discard meant that defensive communications had been cut. If the hearts were not cashed now, declarer would win the return and cash her black winners then put West in with a club to lead into the ace-ten of diamonds at the end. So Michaels cashed her heart winners, only to squeeze her partner in the minors. Disa won the diamond switch and cashed two spade winners and West had no answer. Three No Trump made for +600, while at the other table North/South played in the strange contract of 4§ down three; 14 IMPs to the RADIN team.

Clear and Easy

By Ed Franken

The reigning European champions Bep Vriend and Marijke van der Pas from the Netherlands started with a nice defence in their first match of the McConnell against Kerlero (France).

Dealer West. All Vul
	ª A 6 2 © J 8 4 ¨ 10 8 3 2 § J 6 2
ª Q J 8 7 5 4 © K 5 3 ¨ A § K 7 4		ª 10 9 © A 7 6 2 ¨ Q 6 5 4 § A Q 5
	ª K 3 © Q 10 9 ¨ K J 9 7 § 10 9 8 3

West	North	East	South
Bello	Vriend	Le Sur	van der Pas
1ª	Pass	2¨	Pass
2ª	Pass	3NT	All Pass

South led the nine of clubs, promising the ten but not an honour. East won with the ace and played the ten of spades, which took the trick. The spade nine continuation went to South's king. Van der Pas continued with the diamond seven for the ace in dummy. On the next spade East threw the heart two and what about South? She realised that her diamond seven was, in her system, not very encouraging. To make it clear and easy for her partner she threw away the queen of hearts!

Vriend got the message and returned the only card to defeat the contract: the ten of diamonds. There was nothing East could do, and N/S took three diamond tricks to defeat the contract.

At the other table Hoogweg-van Zwol bid and made Four Spades.

Work it out

If you can work out the correct defensive play on this deal from the Power Rosenblum Knockout Teams, you will earn 14 IMPs for your squad.

This is your hand:

ª K 10 8 3 2
© A K 9 4 3
¨ 10 5
§ 9

You, West, open 1ª and hear the following auction:

West	North	East	South
1ª	2¨	Pass	3§
Pass	3ª	Pass	4ª
Pass	5¨	Pass	6§
All Pass

You lead a high heart and view this dummy:

ª Q J
© Q 8 5
¨ A K Q J 9 4 3
§ 8

Partner's heart indicates he has four of them. How do you proceed? How do you arrive at the correct solution? Given South's spade cuebid, that suit is out, so it's between diamonds and clubs, although perhaps you should not rule out a heart continuation despite what you know about the suit.

Obviously, the diamonds are imposing, and if declarer has a singleton it is almost surely necessary to play one now to cut him off from all those tricks before he can draw trumps. If declarer has more than one diamond, you will have to rely on partner for a trump trick - unlikely given the auction.

Can it be wrong to play on diamonds? Could South be void in the suit? If so, he has 12 black cards - possibly eight clubs and four spades? Nine clubs and three spades? How about 10 clubs and two spades, in which case you must exit a club.

Unfortunately, partner has done no bidding, so you have no clues from his side. So just take your best shot.
Here is the full deal:

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

Yes, you must play South for a 10-card club suit. Against David Berkowitz, who was South, West continued a diamond and declarer was soon writing plus 920 in his score sheet.

This was the auction at the other table, where Michael Rosenberg and Zia Mahmood held the East-West cards.

West	North	East	South
Rosenberg		Zia
Pass	1¨	Pass	3§
3¨	Dble	4¨	6§
All Pass

Rosenberg also led a high heart, ending up with a push board when he continued with a diamond as well. As you can see, it turns out that playing a second high heart is also a winner.