Today’s deal is from the 2000 Venice Cup, played to determine the Women’s World Champions for that year. It was a team competition. There was a cue bidding frenzy at this table, but the final contract was the same at both tables.
At one table, the opening club lead was won with dummy’s ace and declarer cashed the ace and king of spades. This was followed by the ace and king of diamonds, and then a heart to dummy’s ace to cash the queen of diamonds for a club discard. This line of play would have worked had the spades split 2-2. It would also have succeeded on a 3-1 spade split had the diamonds been 3-2 with the long trump in the same hand as the third diamond. On this lie of the cards, East ruffed the queen of diamonds and declarer was left with an unavoidable heart loser for down one.
The line of play was better at the other table. South won the opening club lead and led a low spade to the king. The ace and king of diamonds were next, followed by a spade to the ace. East also ruffed the queen of diamonds as South discarded her remaining club, but the ace of hearts was still in dummy as an entry and the heart loser was eventually discarded on a good diamond. Making six!
