Wait until the end
By Franco Broccoli

You are quite happy because the opponents are playing in 4S and your hand is

S A J 10 9 4
H 6
D 8 5 2
C 9 7 4 3

It is true that your hand has only spades, but it could have been worse. Now, reader,
you get a promotion. You are Chip Martel, holding the above cards in the South position
against Egypt in Saturday's Rosenblum Cup Teams match with Egypt. Your side is
vulnerable and this is your auction:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
A. Sadek Stansby Dagher You (Martel)
2H (1) Pass Pass
3H (2) Pass 3NT Pass
4S All Pass

You didn't fall into the temptation to double and you are extremely right because this is
the full deal:

N/S Vul. Dealer North.

NORTH
S 7
H Q 10 9 7 4 3 2
D K 7 6

C J 5

WEST EAST
S K Q 8 6 5 2 S 3
H -- H A K J 8 5
D A J D Q 10 9 4 3
C A 10 8 6 2 C K Q

SOUTH
S A J 10 9 4
H 6
D 8 5 2
C 9 7 4 3

Your partner's opening lead is a low diamond. Declarer wins the first trick with
dummy's queen and starts eliminating trumps by playing low to his king and low from
his hand. You win the S9. The fact that your partner shows out is bad news for West,
but not an earthquake. Now declarer plays a club to dummy's king. West decides that
the time available for this board is running out so, very fast, he plays the HA,
discarding a club, and ruffs a low heart (you discard a club). Then comes the DA and a
club to dummy's queen, followed by the HA.

You are now in an impossible position. If you ruff low, West overruffs and plays
winning clubs, giving you your two trump tricks (so it actually happened at the table).
If you discard, declarer discards from his hand and ruffs something, playing a winning
club and waiting for a trick with the SQ. If you ruff with the SA. . . . .oh, don't joke,
please. You made a great decision not to double because there is no way to win for the
defense.

Finesses
By Franco Broccoli

If your name is "Bobby" you are not only requested to play the "best bridge in the
world" because people expect it, you must also guess right in every decision. This deal
came from the match between the Richard Freeman team of the USA versus Japan.

NORTH
S A 10 4 3
H K 8 7
D J 8 5 2
C A K


SOUTH
S Q 9
H 3
D A Q 4
C Q J 9 8 6 4 3

Right or not, you have landed "smoothly" in 5C. In the auction, East bid hearts and
West raised. West leads the H4 and you play low from dummy (don't you?). East wins
the HJ. After a little thinking, East produces the D10. It's time to play.
In the real life, Bobby (the first) played a low diamond, West won the king and
returned a diamond. Wrong! Why? Look at the entire deal:

Love All. Dealer North.

NORTH
S A 10 4 3
H K 8 7
D J 8 5 2

C A K

WEST EAST
S 8 7 5 2 S K J 6
H 10 6 5 4 H A Q J 9 2
D K 9 6 3 D 10 7
C 7 C 10 5 2
SOUTH
S Q 9
H 3
D A Q 4
C Q J 9 8 6 4 3

Declarer claimed easily, discarding a spade on the DJ. But if West, after winning the
diamond, had returned a spade instead of a diamond, the story would have been
different. With the diamond suit blocked and clubs breaking 3-1, South would not have
been able to cash the good diamond.

Could declarer have ensured the contract? Yes, on this occasion, by playing the DQ.
Now when West wins the DK and returns a spade, declarer can rise with the ace, cash
dummy's clubs, ruff a heart to his hand, pull the last trump and then play the DA and
a low diamond for a finesse of dummy's 8. It's an easy win.
Bobby is a heavy name to bear.

Wake up, it's only a dream
By Franco Broccoli, Italy

Here is a pleasant dream for a bridge player. You are playing in the opening

round-robin match of the Rosenblum Cup. Your team, from the USA, is playing

Ecuador. You are sitting in the West seat with

S K Q 4
H A
D 10 7 6 5 2
C Q 5 3 2

and you hear this auction:

WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
You * Berkowitz
4H
Pass 4NT Pass 5C
Pass 5NT (?) Pass 6D
Pass 7H (!)

*Actually, Larry Cohen, playing with Dave Berkowitz.

Now, I suppose you would stand up and yell "double" -- but it's not your turn.

In fact, it's your partner who doesn't believe the enemy and pulls the "double"

card. North attempts to escape to 7NT and your partner doubles again and leads
the SA. It's time to take a look:

Dealer South. Game all.

NORTH
S J 6 3 2
H 8
D A Q J 8 4

C A K J 10
WEST EAST
S K Q 4 S A 10 8 7 5
H A H K 5
D 10 7 6 5 2 D 9 2
C Q 5 3 2 C 8 7 6 4

SOUTH
S 9
H Q J 10 9 7 6 4 3 2
D K
C 9

Declarer took seven tricks and you the last five. Six down, plus 1700 to your side.

You exchange boards, but suddenly you awake from your dream. The caddy returns to

show you that South has only 12 cards -- North 14. I'm sure the reader noticed the

problem, but no one at your table noticed. You are asked, "Please reshuffle and play

it again.