Loser Ex Machina

None Vul
MPs
Dealer: West
Lead: A

	sunday K 6 4 Q 6 4 3 2 6 5 Q 9 4
puzzi 3 A J 10 9 J 9 8 3 2 A K J		pinpin 10 8 5 2 7 5 A Q 10 7 10 6 5
	Maestro A Q J 9 7 K 8 K 4 8 7 3 2

West 1NT Pass 3 Pass

North Pass Pass 3 Pass

East Pass Dbl Dbl

South 2 Pass Pass

 

Before today’s hand, the last in a session, Gee exhorts the partnership to wind things up “flamboyantly,” and they do not disappoint.

The auction is remarkable. I venture to suppose that West’s 1NT is not every expert’s choice, and venture further that East, for one, might disagree, judging from her double of Gee’s balancing 2S. West pulls to 3D (which makes four), but leaves in the second double after North makes a reasonable-looking spade raise.

West does his best to cooperate on defense as well, leading the CA, shifting to the HA, cashing the second high club, and continuing a second heart. East signals even on the hearts and odd on the clubs. Gee wins the second heart. At this point there are two ways to avoid a second diamond loser, and the diligent reader may wish to set himself an exercise before he continues: how can declarer go down? (For a hint, consult yesterday’s hand.)

Gee begins by playing three rounds of trump, ending in dummy. He now plays the HQ, which East ruffs with her last trump. Gee overruffs, and one chance to avoid the second diamond loser is lost. Yet this is mere prologue. He now leads to dummy’s CQ, and finds the brilliant play of leading another heart, discarding a diamond, and leaving the defense with the diamond ace for the setting trick. Gee’s idea of a “flamboyant” finish was probably a top, like making 3SX, say. But tops come every hand. To manufacture a loser out of thin air — this requires a master’s touch.