FIFTY YEARS AGO
Fifty Years Ago provides an opportunity for nostalgia, history, and reviews of outstanding deals.
A Look Back at December, 1945
It would be nice, we think, if there were a Deal of the Year award that earned the respect of the bridge world. The December, 1945, Bridge World reported that the New York Times had reported that New York experts had agreed on the deal of the year—or at least the best play of the year--for 1945.
East dealer
Both sides vulnerable
North-South 60 on score
| NORTH ♠ J 10 8 6 4 ♥ 7 6 ♦ 9 7 2 ♣ 6 3 2 |
||
| WEST ♠ — ♥ J 8 4 3 ♦ K 10 8 6 4 ♣ K J 8 7 |
EAST ♠ A 5 3 2 ♥ K Q 10 9 ♦ J 5 ♣ Q 9 4 | |
| SOUTH ♠ K Q 9 7 ♥ A 5 2 ♦ A Q 3 ♣ A 10 5 |
| SOUTH | WEST | NORTH | EAST |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | 1 ♠ |
| 1 NT | 2 ♦ | Pass | Pass |
| 2 NT | Pass | Pass | Pass |
West led the diamond six to the jack and queen. South, Howard Schenken, had a very good idea of what the hidden East-West hands looked like. But how would that help him make the contract? If he led spades, East would hold up his ace until the fourth round, leaving declarer with no conceivable way to take more than seven tricks.
Schenken found the answer. At trick two, he returned his small diamond! West won and continued diamonds, which seemed safe. East discarded his apparently useless deuce of spades, so declarer's fortunes had taken a sudden upswing.
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