Bangor Daily News – 24 Jan 2008
The ebullient Zia Mahmood, a Pakistan native now living in the United States, played for the U.S. in the 2007 Bermuda Bowl. His team lost in the final to Norway. Zia is known for imaginative play; indeed his weakness may be an occasional excess of brilliancy.
As today’s West in a qualifying round, he produced the opening lead of the Year. At one table North-South for the U.S. made a diamond partial.
In the other room. North-South bid to 3NT, which looked absolutely cold. If West led a spade. South would have nine tricks, and even if West led a club, South could profitably finesse in hearts. But Zia crossed up everyone by leading .. the KING of clubs.
CONVINCED
South took the ace and was understandably convinced that West had the queen. Finessing in hearts was unattractive: If East had the king of hearts and J-x or Q-x of spades, South would go down. So South ran the diamonds and led a club to dummy’s jack.
East won, cashed two more clubs and led a spade. Down one!