Source: “Play Bridge with the Aces”
Dealer South None Vul
 K 10 7 3 K J 7 2 8 5 3 A J |
||
| J 6 9 5 A Q J 6 2 K Q 10 5 |
5 Q 10 8 4 10 4 9 8 7 6 4 2 |
|
| A Q 9 8 4 2 A 6 3 K 9 7 3 |
The Auction:
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 |
|||
| 2 |
3 |
Pass | 4 |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
Opening Lead K
As the cards were, many declarers would fail to make the contract. The bad lie of the hearts would prevent either a successful finesse in that suit or establishment of a long heart for a vital diamond discard. A normal result would be down one, declarer losing three diamonds and one heart.
Alerted by the bidding and the opening lead, Frank Beard* in South, found a sure-fire way to land his contract.
Beard won the lead of the K in dummy and drew tumps in two rounds, Beard then refused the heart finesse and played first his ace and then a low heart to dummy’s king.
Next came dummy’s J and instead of ruffing, he discarded his remaining low heart. West (Bob Hamman) was saddled with the lead and had no safe exits. “Beard Beards Bob Hamman”
The lead of a diamond would establish Beard’s king and the lead of a club would present Beard with a ruff and discard.
(Note that even if West held one or more hearts, an unlikely event, dummy’s J could be established after a heart lead by West).
*Joseph Franklin Beard (born May 1, 1939) is an American former professional golfer who was a member of the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Beard won eleven PGA Tour events.