Can you find the winning play? Bridge Column for May 20, 2005, Harvey Bernstein Special To The Plain Dealer Both sides vulnerable. West deals. North S: 7 3 2 H: K 6 3 2 D: 8 6 C: A K 7 5 West East S: K 10 9 8 5 S: J 6 H: 8 4 H: 9 5 D: A 10 7 D: Q J 9 4 2 C: Q J 4 C: 10 8 6 3 South S: A Q 4 H: A Q J 10 7 D: K 5 3 C: 9 2 The Bidding: West North East South Pass Pass Pass 1H 1S 2S Pass 4H Pass Pass Pass When North was able to cue-bid two spades, showing a limit raise or better in hearts, South went directly to the heart game. West led the queen of clubs. Looking at all four hands, can you find a line of play that leads to ten tricks? Declarer knew from the bidding that the king of spades and the ace of diamonds were more than likely in the West hand. The tenth trick was not going to come from the spade finesse or from leading a diamond toward the king. It was going to have to come from an end-play. The first trick went to the ace of clubs. The king of clubs was cashed and a club was trumped with the ten of hearts. Trumps were extracted with the ace and king and the fourth club was led from the dummy. East played the ten and declarer trumped. With no entries left to enter the dummy, declarer cashed the ace of spades and exited with the queen. West won the king and cashed the ten but found himself with no safe exit card. A spade would allow declarer to discard a diamond from dummy while trumping in hand, and a diamond play would ensure that the king of diamonds became the tenth trick. A well played game earned an excellent score. The Cleveland Whist Club held it's semi-annual Master/Non- Master Pairs on April 20 in Broadview Heights. Harvey Bernstein of Solon and Mary Kay Covington of Shaker Heights were tied with Bill Dickinson of Northfield and Gary Collins of University Heights for first place. Richard Burgess of Chesterland and Lesley Green of Mentor and were third. Congratulations to the following local players who have achieved new levels of success in the quest for master points. Laurie Kranyak of Bay Village has accumulated 7,500 master points and is an emerald life master. Alan Steggles of Ravenna, Betsy Wilson of Strongsville, Rusty Ellison of Aurora, Carl Winters and Amelia Ivancic of Cleveland have passed the 1,000 master point level and are silver life masters. William Alcorn of Chagrin Falls, Nestor Burkhart of Shaker Heights, Jean Warzinski of Bedford, Susan Conrad of Madison, Pauline Duber of Beachwood, and D. M. Albertone of Wickliffe have passed the 500 master point level and are bronze life masters. Nicholas Ogan of Moreland Hills, Joan Ann Waletzky of Beachwood, Lynda Hirsch of Cleveland, Patrick Holden of Hudson, Jean Suzberger of Aurora, Dean Webb of Brecksville, Edith Dus- Garden of Stuart, FL and Cleveland, Jim Wilson of Strongsville, and Rose Marie Cassmer of Macedonia have satisfied all of the requirements and are now life masters. The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) will hold the All-American Regional Bridge Tournament at the Holiday Inn, 6001 Rockside Road, Independence, from May 24 to 30. A bracketed knock out team event and a stratified pairs event will start at 7:30 p.m. on May 24. Events for players at all levels will start at 9:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. every day except Monday. A strati-flighted Swiss team event will start at 11:00 a.m. on Monday. Special events for non-life master players will be held each day. For more information, visit the ACBL web site at: http://www.acbl.org _______________________________________________________________ Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb19@adelphia.net