Brilliant
By Mark Horton In 46th World Bridge Teams Championships On 31st August 2023
The match between Switzerland and USA2 has been a classic so far. When the final session got under way it did not take long for another special deal to surface:
In the Closed Room Kalita opened the East hand 2
and when Moss overcalled 2
Grue jumped to 3NT, scoring +630.
We can be sure about the early part of the auction, but Al Hollander’s notes stop after 3
.
East led the 
3 and declarer won with the ace (a far-sighted move) and played the 10. East went up with the ace and exited with a club, but now declarer could win, ruff a diamond, draw the outstanding trump, cash dummy’s AK, come to hand with the A and cash the Q. West, down to 108754 K had no answer and when he pitched the K declarer claimed, +1370 and 12 IMPs.
If East had played low on the 10, West wins and returns a trump. Declarer wins, ruffs a diamond, draws the last trump with the J and carefully plays a top spade followed by a spade to the ace. When East discards declarer can advance the 10 and survive the unlucky spade break.
What a brilliant piece of play!
