The Daily Reporter – 23 Sep 2006
When I was in Chicago last July for the Summer Nationals, I had the pleasure of playing in two events with two-time world champion Eddie Kantar. He is an entertaining writer and teacher who has been a close friend for more than 20 years, but it was our first partnership together. He has claimed writer’s rights to all of those deals, so you will have to see one from nearly 30 years ago. It features a wonderful piece of declarer play by him.
To double, then to bid a new suit after partner makes a minimum reply, promises at least a good 17 high-card points. So, South’s four-heart bid was aggressive. East took two diamond tricks, then shifted to his trump. Kantar could see that he might lose one spade and two clubs, because surely East had the club king for his bidding.
Was there any hope? Yes – that East had begun with exactly king-doubleton of spades and had the club king. Declarer drew trumps, cashed his spade ace, then led a low spade and played low from the dummy. Bingo!
East had to win with his king and either play a club away from his king or concede a ruff-and-sluff. Either way, Kantar’s two low clubs evaporated, one on this trick and one on dummy’s long spade. Note that if East had three spades to the king, it could not help Kantar to play dummy’s spade jack on the second round. East would take his king and return a spade. South could discard only one low club and would lose one spade, two diamonds and one club.