A "Jettison" play helps the defense. Bridge Column for August 19, 2005, Harvey Bernstein Special To The Plain Dealer Neither side vulnerable. North deals. North S: A Q 6 3 2 H: J 9 8 7 5 D: A Q 8 C: Void West East S: J 10 9 4 S: 8 7 H: K 6 H: Q 10 3 2 D: K 9 7 6 2 D: J C: K 3 C: A 10 9 8 5 4 South S: K 5 H: A 4 D: 10 5 4 3 C: Q J 7 6 2 The Bidding: North East South West 1S Pass 1NT Pass 2H Pass 3NT Pass Pass Pass Had I been South I think I would have bid two spades at my second turn. But then, this would be a pretty "run of the mill" hand and there would be nothing to write about. Three no trump is as thin a game as you will find but the declarer should be able to scramble home with four spade tricks, a heart, two diamonds and maybe two clubs - depending on how the defense plays. Let's follow the play and see how this works out. West starts with his fourth best diamond, the six. Declarer does very well to call for the queen and East's jack falls beneath it. A spade to the king and a spade back to the ace is followed by the queen of spades and then the three. East signals with the eight of clubs followed by the four. Declarer also discards two clubs. West, on lead with the jack of spades, lays down the king of clubs. This holds the trick and the three of clubs goes to East's ace. Here is the position with East on lead: North S: 2 H: J 9 8 D: A 8 C: Void West East S: Void S: Void H: K 6 H: Q 10 3 2 D: K 9 7 2 D: Void C: Void C: 10 9 South S: Void H: A 4 D: 10 5 4 C: Q East puts the two of hearts on the table. South takes a moment and plays the ace. Look at what happens if West plays the six. South will get off lead with a small heart. West will win the fourth defensive trick and be endplayed in diamonds. This will not be good. West counters by playing the king of hearts under the ace. South cashes the queen of clubs and leads a small diamond towards the dummy. West plays the nine and the ace wins the trick. The long spade is cashed. The eight of diamonds is next. West wins the king and leads the six of hearts. East's queen of hearts is the setting trick. This "Jettison" play was made possible by East's careful lead of the heart two, indicating some strength in the heart suit. With poor hearts it would be appropriate for East to lead a higher heart which would indicate a lack of honor cards in the suit. The Summer North American Bridge Championships were held in Atlanta, GA from July 22 - 31. Congratulations to all of the area players who enjoyed success at this tournament. July 22. Doug Henderson, Cleveland, Vivian Shanafelt, Medina, with James and Sara Buford, Lorain were third in Stratum D in the Afternoon B/C/D Swiss teams. Barbara Bacon, Rocky River, and her partner were sixth in Stratum B in the Educational Fund Side Pairs. July 25. Marshall Lewis, Cleveland Heights, was a member of the team that finished first in Bracket two of the Educational Fund Knockout Teams. July 26. Martin Baff, Beachwood, and Roger Tiktin, Lakewood, were members of the team that tied for fifteenth in the National Senior Swiss Teams. Hao Ge, Cleveland, was a member of the team that tied for third in Bracket two of the Charlotte Knockout Teams. July 27. Don and Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg, were members of the team that was second in Stratum A of the Afternoon Board- A-Match Teams. Phil Becker, Beachwood, and Kumar Bhatia, Pepper Pike, were members of the team that tied for seventeenth in the National Spingold Knockout Teams. July 29. Kenneth, Laurie, and John Kranyak, Bay Village, were members of the team that was tied for seventh in the Afternoon Flight A Swiss Teams. Phil Becker, Beachwood, and Kathleen Sulgrove, Twinsburg, were on the team that was sixteenth in the National Mixed Board-A-Match Teams. Sharon Fairchild, Rocky River, and her partner were sixth in Stratum A1 of the Flight A Pairs. Don Sulgrove, Twinsburg, and his partner were ninth in Stratum A1 and Marshall Lewis, Cleveland Heights, and his partner were fourth in Stratum A2 of the same event. July 30. Hao Ge, Cleveland was a member of the team that was second in Bracket Two of the Greenville Knockout Teams. July 31. Marshall Lewis of Cleveland Heights was a member of the team that was fourth in Stratum A2 of the Flight A Swiss Teams. Kenneth, Laurie, and John Kranyak, Bay Village, Don and Kathleen Sulgrove, and Phil Becker, Beachwood, were 38th in the National Open Swiss Teams. _______________________________________________________ Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon. To reach Harvey Bernstein: hjb19@adelphia.net