The One and Only
By Mark Horton In 44th World Bridge Teams Championships On 15th September 2019
This deal from the opening round saw many double-digit swings:
On a bad day, you might go down in 3NT after a diamond lead, a fate that befell several players, including one multiple world champion.
6
was attempted several times, but when a diamond was led no-one had enough information to get the trumps right.
A couple of declarers were favoured by the lead of the 
Q, after which only the overtrick was at issue.
At two tables, one in the Venice Cup, the other in the Bermuda Bowl the opening lead was a heart. Declarer wins with the king and cashes the top trumps. When the Q declines to put in an appearance you play a third round pitching a diamond, win the likely diamond exit, cash the 
A, ruff a heart and continue with two more rounds of trumps to reach this position:
When declarer plays the last trump South must part with a spade. Having done its work, the 9 is discarded from dummy and declarer scores three spade tricks. In the match between Sweden and Israel the latter made 12 tricks after a diamond lead – but they were only in 5, and Sweden’s Fredrik Nystrom (partnering Johan Upmark) followed this line to pick up a big swing.
Alas, the other declarer could not find the winning line.
