The Bridge Table.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20868, 9 May 1931, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Bridge Table.

A LONG TRUMP SUIT.; BY MAJOR TENACB. This week's problem is one which can be solved by a little plain thinking:

At love score Y deals and passes; B, no bid; Z, one spade; and all pass. A leads the ace of hearts, on which B drops the ten. A continues with the two of hearts. B trumps with the three and leads the three of diamonds. How should Z play and why'! Last week's problem was as follows: —

Clubs are trumps. Z has the lead and must win a grand slain against any defence.

Solution: Z must start by running off liis clubs. The fourth lead puts A into a difficulty. If A discards a spade Z makes ace and queen; if he discards a heart all dummy's hearts are good; arid if lie discards a diamond all Z's diamonds are good. His best discard—that is to say, the one which makes Z's task most difficult— is a small heart. Thereupon Z throws Y's small diamond and follows up by leading the ace of spades and his small heart.

Five heart tricks are now run off from Y. After the fourth is turned the position is as follows: —

On the fifth heart led from Y, Z throws his queen of spades. A must now choose between discarding his king of spades or a guard to his jack of diamonds. If he throws the king of spades Y"s jack and ten are good; if he discards a diamond Z makes the ace, queen and seven. In any case Z clears the remainder.

The deal is the original of the Vienna coup and takes its name from the town where it occurred. The story goes that the most celebrated player in Vienna had to play at double dummy the hands of Y and Z. As soon as the cards were exposed he exclaimed: " Why, I shall make all thirteen tricks." This appeared impossible to the bystanders, for although his hands were, between them, of commanding strength, still his adversaries' hands between ihein held every suit guarded except the trump. Large bets were made on the accomplishment of the feat, which was, however, performed. In these days, when the squeeze play is almost as familiar as the finesse, there is nothing extraordinary about the feat, but the lead of the ace of spades at, trickfive and the discard of the queen of spades later in order to unblock dummy's jack and ten are interesting complications.