Sunday, February 3, 2002		Bridge

When South won, drew trumps and conceded a heart
by Omar Sharif

"WELL, that was all right," commented East after what seemed to be a multiple disaster for his side on this week’s deal.

"What?" expostulated his partner. "Yes," continued East (who was not a great striker of the ball, but was fully prepared to admit it) "I usually do about two bad things in every rubber and I find economical if I can fit them both in on the same hand."

To be perfectly fair I would say that neither of his "bad things" was criminal — they just worked out badly as the cards lay. South dealt at love all and opened One Spade. North raised to Three Spades, East overcalled with four Hearts and South bid Four Spades. It would have gone well for him if East had fought on with Five Diamonds but he decided to pass.

West led the seven of Hearts to East’s Ace and, thinking quickly, South dropped the King. it was clear to him that West’s seven was a singleton but by no means clear to East who now placed his partner with H72 and switched to the nine of Clubs. South won, drew trumps and conceded a Heart. He won the next Club lead but could now enter dummy with a trump and take a ruffling finesse against East’s HQ to land ten tricks.

You cannot really blame East for falling for South’s false-card, but would you have passed Four Spades?