Can you find the right play?
Bridge Column for April 15, 2005, Harvey Bernstein
Special To The Plain Dealer
East-West vulnerable.  West deals.
                              North
                              S: J 6              
                              H: 7 2         
                              D: Q 5         
                              C: A K 9 7 5 4 2
   
            West                             East
            S: A K Q 10 4 3                  S: 9 8          
            H: 5 3                           H: J 9 4      
            D: 9 7 6                         D: K J 8 4           
            C: J 6                           C: Q 10 8 3    
                              South                         
                              S: 7 5 2 
                              H: A K Q 10 8 6
                              D: A 10 3 2  
                              C: Void     
          The Bidding:  
                   West   North     East   South                  
                    2S     3C       Pass    3H  
                   Pass    4C       Pass    4H  
                   Pass    Pass     Pass
     Thanks to Larry Cohen of Boca Raton, FL for this hand from
the semi-final match of the Vanderbilt Knockout Teams which was
contested at the Spring North American Bridge Championships held
in Pittsburgh, PA from March 10 to 20.  
     At both tables, after West opened with a weak two-bid in
spades, South reached four hearts.  Cohen, sitting West, led the 
top three spades.  East played the nine followed by the eight.  
What should declarer do on the 3rd round of spades? 
     When faced with this problem, Mike Passell of Plano, TX
found the solution.  He discarded a diamond from dummy.  After
that play he was able to take the rest of the tricks.  He could
trump a diamond in dummy, take his discards on the clubs, trump a
club with the ten and draw trumps to make +420. 
     Cohen's team lost 10 IMPs (International Match Points) when
surprisingly, his teammate, sitting South at the companion table,
failed to find the winning line.  He trumped the third spade in
dummy and East over trumped.  The contract failed by two tricks
on a trump return. 
     Cohen refuses to give his teammate all the blame.  Had Cohen
led a trump at any point, he would have defeated four hearts. 
There is good news at the end of this story.  Cohen's team went
on to win this match and to also win their final match and take
first place in this prestigious event.  
     Visit Larry Cohen's web site (http://www.larryco.com/) to
read interesting articles and review samples of his interactive
products to help improve your bridge game.

     The Orange Senior Center, 32205 Chagrin Blvd, Orange, is
offering a bridge workshop from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on April
21.   The title of this offering is "Problems Declarer Faces
During Play of the Hand" and will be taught by Fred Eberlin of
Lyndhurst.  The fee for this workshop is $49 for members of the
Orange Senior Center and $54 for non-members.  For additional
information, call  440-461-4963.  

     The Spring North American Bridge Championships were held in
Pittsburgh, PA from March 10 - 20.  Congratulations to all of the
area players who enjoyed success at this tournament.  Other
results appeared last week. More will be listed in future
columns.

     March 12.  Bruce Moore of Mayfield Heights and Timothy Baker
of Lakewood were members of the team that was 1st in Bracket 5 of
the Howard Lebow knockout teams.  Julia Allen of Willoughby was a
member of the team that finished 1st in Bracket 5 of the compact
knockout teams.  Robert and Joanne Lane of Beachwood with Marilyn
Doman and Bonnie Shafer of Chagrin Falls were 2nd in Bracket 9 of
the compact knockout teams.  Susan Conrad of Madison, Lesley
Green of Lakewood, Helen Radigan and Angela Strainic of Mentor
were 2nd and Dennis and Sharon Bushman with Jim and Betty Wilson
of Strongsville were 3rd in Bracket 6 of the compact knockout
consolations.  Hao Ge was a member of the team that finished 5th
in Flight A of the evening Swiss teams.  Richard and Sandra
Fleischman of Beachwood were 12th in Stratum A1 and Patrick
Spooner and his partner were 3rd in Stratum A2 of the Flight A
pairs.  Robert Phifer of Wiloughby and D. Albertone of Willowick
were 3rd in Stratum B and Betty Hollister of Gates Mills and
Betty Hitchcock of Mentor were 6th in Stratum B of the senior
pairs.  Philip Macfarlane of Parma and John Marhofer of Cuyahoga
Falls wer 1st in Stratum B of the afternoon side game.  Ildiko
Baxter of Cleveland Heights and her partner were 1st in Stratum B
and Dilip and Smita Maniar of Mentor were 4th in Stratum A of the
afternoon 299er pairs.  Baxter and her partner were 3rd in
Stratum A and Judith Rolnicki of Brunswick and her partner were
2nd in Stratum B of the evening 49er pairs.
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon. 
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb19@adelphia.net