october_19

This time the bidding was not identical: West North East South Brink Helness Drijver Martens 1 ♥ Pass 2 ♦ Pass 2 ♥ Pass 3 ♦ Pass 4 ♦ Pass 4NT Pass 5 ♦ Pass Pass Pass Was 4NT an attempt to play the hand in 4NT?As the cards lay, this contract was cold (provided North is the declarer). Martens preferred 5 ♦ , and East led ♣J. Declarer could make the hand by drawing trumps and squeezing East, but he tried a spade at trick two, after which there was no longer any way to get to eleven tricks. West North East South Klukowski Nowosadzki Gawrys Kalita 1 ♥ Pass 2 ♦ Pass 2 ♥ Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass North's remarkable bid of two spade got the Polish pair to 3NT – from the wrong side! I believe that the ♠J lead would be clear-cut to most of our readers, so almost everyone would have defeated this contract. Michal Klukowski didn't, as he selected the club three for his lead. Declarer didn't even need to guess clubs. He won trick one in his hand and played a heart, and when East won this trick the contract was safe. Congratulations to the Polish/Dutch/American TEAM BLASS for winning an entertaining final. ירחון ההתאגדות הישראלית לברידג' 56