The Best of Bridge Today Digest.
Bridge Column for October 28, 2001, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  South deals.
                              North
                              S: A K 6 5          
                              H: 8 3 2       
                              D: Void        
                              C: A Q 10 9 8 7
            West                             East
            S: 7 4 2                         S: Q J 8 3      
            H: Q J 10 5                      H: 9 4        
            D: 9 4 3 2                       D: A J 7 5           
            C: 5 3                           C: K J 2       
                              South                         
                              S: 10 9 
                              H: A K 7 6    
                              D: K Q 10 8 6 
                              C: 6 4      
          The Bidding:  
                  South    West    North    East                  
                   Pass    Pass     1C      Pass
                   1D      Pass     1S      Pass
                   2H      Pass     3C      Pass
                   3NT     Pass     Pass    Pass
     This hand is from a new book by Matthew and Pamela
Granovetter of Jerusalem, Israel.  In January, 2000 the
Granovetter's started publishing Bridge Today Digest, an on-line
magazine that is delivered via e-mail twice a week.  A year and a
half later they have taken the best items from this publication
and put them together in easy to read compendium that every
bridge player will enjoy.
     The auction shown was fairly normal and anyone playing three
no trump will be defeated because of the poor position of the
club honors.  What makes this hand unique was that one player
opened the bidding with a "short club" and incredibly, the final
contract became six clubs.  Had West led a small club at trick
one there would be no story here.  As it turns out, West led the
queen of hearts.  Declarer, somewhat in a state of shock, decided
to take as many tricks as he could.  
     South won the heart lead and trumped a diamond.  He returned
to hand with a second heart and trumped another diamond.  This
was followed by the ace and king of spades.  A spade was trumped
with the four of clubs and another diamond was trumped in the
dummy.  The last spade was led.  East followed suit and declarer
trumped with the six of clubs.  West discarded a heart.
     A fourth diamond was trumped in dummy.  Declarer has taken
the first ten tricks and now led dummy's last heart.  East was
down to the king-jack-two of clubs and had no choice but to
trump.  At this point, the dummy still had the ace-queen of trump
and East was on lead.    
     The position of the club suit caused three no trump to be
defeated, but allowed six clubs to make.  
     The Best Of Bridge Today Digest is published by Master Point
Press of Toronto, Canada and is available for $14.95 plus $3.00
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_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.