Bridge

The Israeli Junior Team won the European Junior Championships, averaging nearly 20 VPs per match.

This deal, from the match between Israel and Turkey, shows how good luck runs with the team in form. The auctions began identically, but the Turkish North leapt to 5D immediately over 1H, a fine pressure bid. Birman's only sensible action over this was 5H, and Padon, knowing partner had a big hand, still could not bid on with any confidence. North led a spade, ducked to the king, and Padon drew trump and played clubs from the top to make 13 tricks.

By contract, Schwartz bid just 3D, leaving the Turkish pair room. East's cuebid implied heart support, and although the Israelis continued to intervene, the fact that partner used Blackwood allowed East to bid slam, confident that there must be some spade control opposite. Fisher doubled with his two aces, but dummy must have been a disconcerting sight.

The diamond lead was ruffed, and declarer drew trump and played a club to the ace. The Principle of Restricted Choice came to Israel's aid. In 5H declarer could afford to lose a club, but the Turkish declarer could not. North's bidding did not suggest quite such a distributional hand, so he returned to hand with a heart and finessed in clubs to go one down, losing 14 imps when making slam would gain 14.