1995 Bermuda Bowl![Jean Paul Meyer](http://csbnews.org/new/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Jean-Paul-Meyer.png)
It is difficult to say a hand is the best ever played. What I can say is that Michel Lebel said it was the best hand HE had ever played. When such an experienced player says this, it means something. Let’s have a look at the board:
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West | North | East | South |
 |  |  | Pass |
Pass | 1![]() |
Pass |
1NT |
Pass | Pass | Dbl | 2![]() |
3NT | The end | Â | Â |
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So Lebel, West, was declarer in 3 NT. A club was led and the king was allowed to hold. Lebel played the DK and let the 8 ride. A third round went to the
A, and a fourth round of diamonds was played, North having discarded a heart and two spades.
In hand with the Q, South exited with a small club. West had six tricks in the bag when he played his last diamond:
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On the 5 North discarded a spade, as did East, and South has to discard a heart. Now came a brilliant
J:
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South took the CA and another high club, but in the final position:
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SOUTH HAS THE CHOICE FROM AMONG THREE EQUALLY BAD ACTIONS!
A club squeezes his partner.
A spade allows East to throw North in hand to play a heart away from his king.
A heart is ducked and declarer makes two heart tricks.
Yes, educated readers would have found a pedestrian way of winning the contract by taking the first trick in hand and playing a spade, which has to be ducked by North, and then attacking diamonds. But Lebel’s play is so much nicer.
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