By Patrick Jourdain (slightly edited here). Original source: 6th European Open Bridge Championships Daily Bulletin, June 2013
Marshall Lewis of the USA is not a household name in Europe, but he deserves broader recognition after this imaginative play in the Consolation Pairs reported by his opponent, Pat Shields of Wales.
The field were in 3S, only just making, but Lewis chose an ambitious opening which his partner Dennis Ryan raised to game. N made the normal lead of the club king. The field were winning in dummy, and most then led a trump to the ace. They could subsequently return to dummy with a diamond to the queen (best), but S could then rise on the next trump lead and obtain two heart trick plus a diamond ruff.
Lewis had other plans: at the first trick, he let the club king hold! N innocently played another club, and Lewis discarded a heart from hand. Next Lewis ran the seven of trumps, which N won and now switched to a diamond. Lewis accurately put in the queen, dropping the jack from S. Now he took a finesse of the trump jack, then rattled off his remaining trumps coming down to four red cards. N had to keep three diamonds, and consequently was forced to bare his heart ace. Lewis took the diamond finesse and triumphantly played a heart. North was forced to win and lead another diamond for a further finesse and declarer’s tenth trick.
It seems that only an immediate diamond switch at Trick Two will beat the game — by no means an easy play to find.
