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Opening
lead:  9
This
hand took place in the ACBL Grand National Teams semifinals
last week in Long Beach, California. The heroes were Rose Meltzer
(West) and Peter Weichsel (East), whose team won the event.
West
got the defense off to the right start with a club lead, instead
of a spade. Declarer could make the hand by winning the first
trick and attacking hearts; then win East's club return and
attack spades. Clubs are 4-4, so he would lose one spade,
one heart and two clubs. Declarer made a slip, however, by
allowing the 9
to win the trick.
A
second club lead was won with the king. The king of hearts
was led and ducked by East. Declarer could recover now by
leading a low heart to the 10 and cash the ace of clubs.
But he led the queen of hearts, which won, and another heart,
won by East. Now East led the 10 of spades, won in dummy with
the king. Two heart tricks were cashed followed by the ace
of diamonds. On this trick, Rose (West) played her jack, beginning
an unblock. Declarer tried a low diamond next, but Peter (East)
"rose" with the ten to lead a second spade through
the queen and West took two spade tricks to defeat the contract.
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K 6
K Q 9 8 4
A K 7 6
East
Peter Weichsel