Bridge

IN This deal, from the Nordic Junior Teams Championships, Mathias Rohrberg of Denmark reached 5C after an undistinguished auction. More experienced players might settle in a dull 3NT rather than a 4-3 fit at the five-level.

The Finnish West led an unfortunate small heart, taken with the jack. Rohrberg played a club to the queen, ducked by East, and another club to his king. He now abandoned trump and played spades. East, determined not to waste his trump, discarded his remaining heart on the third spade and South discarded a diamond. With six tricks in the bag, declarer led dummy's last trump. East took his ace and exited with a diamond to the ace. This was the five-card ending:

On the last trump West was squeezed in three suits. He threw the king of diamonds, but declarer had been watching the pips. He led the ten of diamonds to East's queen, establishing his seven. This was particularly satisfying, since in Scandinavia the seven of diamonds is the Beer Card. If you make trick 13 with it your partner must buy you beer.

Rohrberg's fine play saved the board for his team, but still lost an imp against 3NT+1 at the other table.