A light overcall leads to a good result.
Bridge Column for May 13, 2005, Harvey Bernstein
Special To The Plain Dealer
East-West vulnerable.  East deals.
                              North
                              S: Q J 10           
                              H: 8 7         
                              D: A 6 5 3     
                              C: K 9 6 4 
            West                             East
            S: 9 5 2                         S: 8 6 4        
            H: K 10 3                        H: A Q J 9 2  
            D: Q 7 2                         D: J 10 8 4          
            C: Q J 10 8                      C: A           
                              South                         
                              S: A K 7 3
                              H: 6 5 4      
                              D: K 9       
                              C: 7 5 3 2  
          The Bidding:  
                   East   South     West   North                  
                    1H     1S        2H     3H  
                   Pass    3S       Pass    Pass
                   Pass
     Thanks to Marty Baff of Beachwood for this hand from a local
duplicate bridge game.  Baff held the South cards and willingly
admits that his spade overcall was influenced by the
vulnerability and was more "lead directing" than an attempt to
play a spade contract.  But like so many other things in life, 
this bid didn't turn out as planned.
     West led the king of hearts, which won the trick.  He
switched to the queen of clubs and Baff called for a low club
from dummy.  East played his singleton ace of clubs and cashed
the ace of hearts.  He now led the four of diamonds.  Baff won
the king and trumped his last heart with dummy's ten of spades.
     The ace of diamonds came next and a diamond was trumped in
the closed hand.  As both defenders followed to the third
diamond, it appeared as though the clouds were parting and some
sunshine was coming through.  Here is the end position at that
point:
                              North
                              S: Q J              
                              H: Void        
                              D: 6           
                              C: K 9 6   
            West                             East
            S: 9 5 2                         S: 8 6 4        
            H: Void                          H: Q J      
            D: Void                          D: Q                 
            C: J 10 8                        C: Void        
                              South                         
                              S: A K 7  
                              H: Void       
                              D: Void      
                              C: 7 5 3    
     From the play so far, it appeard that East had started with
five hearts, one club, four diamonds, and therefore, three
spades.  This would mean that West had started with three spades,
three hearts, three diamonds, and four clubs.  Baff drew three
rounds of spades, ending in his hand and led a club.  West,
holding the jack-ten-eight, was trapped.  He played the ten but
Baff countered by ducking in dummy.  West was now left to lead
from the jack-eight into the king-nine.  
     It is interesting to note that West made an unusual opening
lead.  Many players would lead the three of hearts.  Look at what
happens if he does that.  East wins the ace and cashes the ace of
clubs.  East continues with a heart to West's king.  When West
shifts to the queen of clubs declarer has no answer and the
contract will be defeated at least two tricks. 
     Fortunately, that was not the case, and even though the
prospects looked bleak, the rules are clear, you have to play the
cards you were dealt, so make the best of it and do the work that
you should do on every hand.  Sometimes things will work out
better than you would have thought.

     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 in previous columns.

     March 19.  Richard LaPonza of Parma and Arthur Ehrler of
Cleveland were 3rd in Stratum A of the afternoon side game and
3rd in Stratum B of the evening side game.  Barbara Kotton and
Helene Weiss of Beachwood were 2nd in Stratum C of the evening
side game.  Robert Kay of Cleveland and Harry Keagler of Kirtland
were 1st in Stratum C of the 299er pairs.  Michelle Allen of
Waite Hill was a member of the team that finished 1st in Stratum
C of the evening Swiss teams.  Patricia Novak of Mentor and Davis
Bonner of Chillicothe (formerly of Solon) were 4th in Stratum A
of the senior pairs.  Victor Vertes of Cleveland and Marlene
Zinamon of Beachwood were members of the team that was 2nd in
Stratum B of the late night Swiss teams.  
        
     March 20.  Kenneth Kranyak of Bay Village, John Kranyak of
New York City, and Phil Becker of Beachwood were members of the
team that finished 6th in the Jacoby Open Swiss teams.  Kathleen
Sulgrove of Twinsburg was a member of the team that finished 2nd
in the Machlin Women's Swiss Teams.  Doug Henderson of Cleveland
and Vivian Shanafelt of Medina were 24th in President's Cup
Flight C North American Pairs.  Rose Marie Cassmer of Macedonia
and Irene Toth of Parma were members of the team that was 1st in
bracket 3 of the H. J. Heinz Knockout Teams.  Chantal Whitney and
Janet Rice of Cleveland with James and Linda Stahl of Chagrin
Falls were tied for 3rd in bracket 4 of the same event.
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon. 
To reach Harvey Bernstein:
hjb19@adelphia.net