BRIDGE

Brilliancy

Andrew Robson

TO be a regular player of the world's high- est stake Rubber Bridge game — £200 per hundred at London's TGR club — you either need nerves of steel and brilliant technique or a fat wallet. Michael Court- ney comes into the former category, but if his play on the following hand is typical, he will soon belong to both.

Dealer East Neither side vulnerable 4 K Q J 7 5

♦ A 7 5 • 5 3 2 49 8

4►9 8 6

♦ Q 104 • Q 8 4Q 3 2 3 2 4 •

4 A 10 4 J 9 8 ♦ A J 7 4 10 6 6 5 4 6 3 4

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W E

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K 2 K 109 + A K J The Bidding South West North East 1, 54 double pass pass pass West led '4 which Michael ran to his 1,K. The contract seemed destined to fail by two tricks due to the shortage of a sec- ond entry to dummy, needed to establish the 4s. Which card did Michael play at trick two?

He led 4J — surely one of the most bril- liant plays of 1998. West won his 4Q and led a second 10'. Michael won dummy's IPA and led 4K, covered by 4A and trumped. He crossed to 49, cashed 40 and 4J dis- carding two ♦s, and led a ♦ towards his ♦ K. East made ♦A, but declarer could claim the remainder.

Even to think of leading 4J to create an entry for dummy's 49 when East has specifically a singleton 410, let alone hav- ing the courage to place the card on the table, is quite something.

West was left to rue his double, without which Michael would not have placed him with the guarded 40. And there was more for West to rue. Had he played low on 4J, he would have lost his trump trick but the defence would have gained two other tricks (in ♦s) and the contract would have gone down.