BRIDGE
Poles apart
Andrew Robson
OCCASIONALLY news filters out, via the bridge press, of a truly outstanding play or defence that has occurred somewhere in the world. Italy, who have just retained the 1999 European Championships, have such strength in depth that the Italian pair who perpetrated the following brilliant defence were not even playing in that victorious team. Watch Lanzarotti and Buratti defeat the following 3NT contract, played by one of the finest players in the world, Polish Cesari Balicki.
Dealer South Both vulnerable 4 Q 10 4
✓ K J 10 7 6 2 • 7 + 9 5 3 4 IC 8 6 5 2 ✓ 9 5 • J 6 4 + J 8 7
N
W E • A 7 3 A Q 8 3
• 8 5 4 K 6 4 2 4 J 9 M4
• A K Q 10 9 3 2 + A Q 10
South West North East l• pass 11P pass 3* pass 3V pass 3NT pass pass pass West led 45 to East's 4A and East returned 43 to West's 4K. West switched to V9 and East beat dummy's V10 with 'IQ and cashed VA, forcing declarer to discard 410. East then switched to 418 and declar- er was compelled to run his *s and lead from 4A(2 at the end. East beat declarer's 4(2 with 4K at trick 13 and the seemingly easy contract was one down. On any other sequence of defensive plays Balicki would have made his contract — bear in mind that he had made not one major suit trick and had not been able to take the # finesse which would have worked.
The cleverest part of the defence was East's return of 43 at trick two. From a remaining doubleton (473) it is normal to return 47, but had East returned 47, might not West have ducked his 4K, in an effort to retain communication with East? The contract would then have easily been made.
In a game such as bridge where total co- operation is essential, to deliberately mis- lead your partner in order to steer him to the correct defence takes great confidence in the layout of the hidden hands. A poten- tially damaging blow to partnership morale might result if you are wrong.
Previous page
