Bridge

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 15:13

AS REPORTED last week, Scotland won the Senior Camrose by finishing ahead of the other national teams, even though they lost the battle for first place to the sponsor's team by one victory point: 169 to 170. The two leading teams faced this hand in their head-to-head match.

When Scotland sat North-South, Liz McGowan as North received a friendly club lead against her 3NT game and soon had a comfortable nine tricks. David Liggat and Roy Bennett, defending 3NT by South in the other room, put up a better show. Bennett led a spade to the Ace and Liggat returned the suit. Declarer finessed the knave, so Bennett took his queen and cleared the suit, Liggat discarding a diamond.

Declarer led the queen of diamonds for a finesse, but Liggat produced the king and exited in diamonds. Declarer needs the heart ace with East now, otherwise West will have an entry for his long spades. The South hand doesn't have sufficient entries to try a finesse for the knave of hearts, so declarer ran the remaining diamonds. On the last one, East had to come down to A9 in hearts and all four clubs, so leading the ten of hearts from dummy would bring home the contract.

If East ducks he is thrown in in hearts to lead a club in the endgame, and if he rises with the ace the heart suit runs for declarer. However, declarer misread the position, leading the heart queen instead. Now Liggat could win, exit in hearts and wait for his club trick at the end. 10 IMPs to Scotland.