To my readers: The Plain Dealer has informed me that they are no longer going to publish a local bridge column. The writer who did this column before me, Michael Cassel, wrote it for 32 years. I have written it for over 15 years. Oh well. This is the third time that the PD has decided to cancel this column. Previously, reader complaints have caused them to bring it back. I hold out very little hope for this - the third time is usually the charm. I am going to approach the local weekly paper and see if they want to publish this column. I don't know what they will say, but it's worth a shot. Anyway, I will keep everyone posted. If you need a fix you can get to most of the older columns at this website. Harvey Make the right play. Bridge Column for August 25, 2007, Harvey Bernstein North-South vulnerable. East deals. North S: J 8 4 H: K J 6 4 3 D: 9 6 4 2 C: 9 West East S: 5 S: A H: Q 8 2 H: 9 7 5 D: K J 10 5 3 D: 8 7 C: Q J 10 7 C: A K 8 5 4 3 2 South S: K Q 10 9 7 6 3 2 H: A 10 D: A Q C: 6 The Bidding: East South West North 1C 1S 2D Pass 3C 3S 4C 4S 5C 5S Dbl Pass Pass Pass Opening lead: QC This hand was played at a recent sectional tournament. Many players in the South seat were defeated when, in fact, they should make eleven tricks when spades are the trump suit. Looking at all four hands it is easy to see how that is done, but the analysis that must be done when only two hands are visible is more difficult. East overtakes the queen of clubs and returns the eight of diamonds at trick two. Declarer knows that the ace of spades must be lost and he also knows that the king of diamonds is in the West hand, so he plays the ace. Looking at the North and South hands, declarer is pretty sure that the opponents five club contract would have been defeated. He is also pretty sure that four spades will always make. The only chance to make his contract is to create a discard for the queen of diamonds before giving up the lead to the ace of spades. Declarer plays the ace of hearts and then the ten. West follows low and declarer calls for the jack from dummy. This holds and the king of hearts is the resting place for the queen of diamonds. A trick is given to the ace of spades and the doubled contract is worth +850. If you are only in four spades you should not take the heart finesse. If it loses, you have just compressed ten tricks into nine. There is no reason to do this. When you are in five spades, if the finesse loses you will be down two instead of only down one. This risk is worth the potential gain. The Summer North American Bridge Championships were held in Nashville, TN from July 19 - 29. Congratulations to the following area players who were successful in their respective events. July 26. Phillip Becker of Beachwood and Dennis McGarry of Stuart, FL (formerly of the Cleveland area) were tenth in the National Open Pairs. Peter Grover of Aurora and Brian Ellis of Beachwood were 37th in the same event. Laurie Kranyak of Bay Village and Linda McGarry of Stuart, FL (formerly of the Cleveland area) were first in Bracket Two of the Volunteer State Compact Consolation Teams. Eva Lefton of Cleveland and Diane Wasserman of University Heights were fifth in Stratum B of the Stratified Daylight Open Pairs. Harriet Adelstein of Chagrin Falls and Sally Kane of Willoughby were fourth in Stratum A of the Stratified Senior Pairs. July 27. The team of Phillip Becker of Beachwood, Kenneth and Laurie Kranyak of Bay Village, and Don and Kathleen Sulgrove of Twinsburg finished fifteenth in the National Mixed Board-A-Match Teams. Helen Israelstam of Beachwood and Roslyn Fanaroff of Shaker Heights were fourth in Stratum B of the Morning 299er Pairs. Judi Rosenthal of Pepper Pike and Dee Kursh of Shaker Heights were sixth in Stratum B of the same event. Charlotte Friedman of Lyndhurst and Hope Ellis of Beachwood were fifth in Stratum B of the Stratified Senior Pairs. Chantal Whitney of Shaker Heights and Nicholas Ogan of Moreland Hills were first in Stratum C of the Afternoon Side Pairs. Marc Rabinowitz of Hudson was on the team that finished fourth in Bracket Six of the Compact Knock-Out Teams. July 28. James and Carolyn Sullivan of Richfield were first in Stratum C of the Afternoon Side Pairs. July 29. Kenneth Kranyak of Bay Village was a member of the team that finished thirty-first in the National Open Swiss teams. Laurie Kranyak of Bay Village, Phillip Becker of Beachwood with Don and Kathleen Sulgrove of Twinsburg were thirty-second in the same event. Chantal Whitney of Shaker Heights and Nicholas Ogan of Moreland Hills were third in Stratum B of the Morning Side Pairs. Bernie Greenspan of Beachwood was on the team that was tenth in the Flight A Swiss teams. _______________________________________________________