The Dispatch – 10 Oct 1979
“How would you play this hand?” Queen Isabella asked, almost 500 years ago.
“With discovery technique,” Columbus replied.
Most experienced players would take the heart finesse at the second trick and would eventually lose the club finesse as well. Down one.
Columbus led dummy’s king of spades at the second trick to discover who had the ace.
East naturally played the ace, and South ruffed.
LOSES CLUB
South now tried the club finesse, discovering that East had the king of clubs, the jack-ten of diamonds and the ace of spades. East almost surely had the queen or jack of spades since otherwise West would have led the queen of spades. If East also had the king of hearts he would have opened the bidding in third position. Since East passed, West must have the king of hearts. South’s only chance was to play the ace of hearts in the hope that the king was un-guarded.
Three cheers and one slam for Columbus.