The One that (almost) got Away
By Mark Horton In 46th World Bridge Teams Championships On 21st August 2023
This deal from Round 1 nearly slipped through the net.
West led the 
3 and declarer won with the 5, took two more rounds of the suit ending in dummy and played a spade for the queen and king, West switching to the 
10. Declarer won in hand, drew the outstanding trump and played a spade to the nine, establishing a tenth trick when that forced the ace, +420.
West led the more challenging 10 and declarer won with the king and cashed the Q disclosing the 4-0 break when East discarded the 4. Appreciating that drawing trumps would man that the contract would probably rest on the location of the 
K declarer turned his attention to spades, leading the queen, which West won to play a second diamond. Declarer won in dummy, played a heart to the ace and a second spade, putting in the nine which saw East take the ace and return the J. Declarer ruffed with the J, West pitching the 2, crossed to dummy with the K, cashed the 
J and ruffed a spade. He could then exit with a heart forcing West to lead a club into the AQ.
Bravo!
Many pairs went down in 4. As a small aside, on the auction at this table, is there a case for North to bid 3NT over partner’s double? Although no-one managed to reach that safe harbour in the Venice Cup, two pairs managed it in each of the other three events.
