Rome News-Tribune – 26 Mar 1985 por J. Jacoby
Richard Frey, long-time editor of the American Contract Bridge League Bulletin (1958-1970), is a great contributor to bridge literature. Modern players may not know that he was also a great championship player in the early days of tournament bridge. Here is a deceptive play he made 50 years ago that has withstood the test of time.
In 1985 North would introduce the heart suit into the bidding after South’s opening one no-trump bid. Not then. No-trump was raised, and Frey happily accepted with 17 high-card points and a 10 as a kicker.
Declarer won the diamond lead with his jack and played the heart queen. West won and switched to the club deuce. When East played the ace, Frey had his chance to make the bridge columns of the future. He played the club king. If you place yourself in the East position, you can hardly be blamed for feeling that declarer also had the club queen for this play.
Accordingly East played back a diamond, and declarer had time to set up the heart suit and nine tricks. If South does not make the deceptive play of the club king, East would continue clubs, and declarer would be set in three no-trump.
Incidentally, the play should not have worked. Without an honor in clubs, West should have led a high club such as the eight or six. No doubt East felt It was more likely that his partner had erred than that Richard Frey had wasted his club king.