Richard Oshlag, aside from having won several national events, is the ACBL’s longest-tenured employee; he has served since 1969. This year the League recognized Oshlag by naming a major event at its Summer Championships in his honor.
In the IMP Pairs at the Spring NABC, Oshlag found a classic falsecard as today’s East, inducing declarer to lose a slam. Against North-South’s reasonable six hearts, West started with a tricky jack of clubs. Declarer took the ace and led a trump to dummy’s ace.
OPTION
If Oshlag plays low, declarer will cash the king next in case East started with J-9-6-5. He will be in sight of making the contract. But Oshlag followed with the nine, giving declarer a losing option. Sure enough, declarer led a trump to his queen next, and Oshlag’s play had created a trump trick for the defense.
Declarer proceeded to guess the spade position, but next he tried a diamond finesse with his queen, hoping to get rid of dummy’s last club. West won, and the defense got a club and a trump for down two.
DAILY QUESTION
You hold: S A 10 H Q 10 8 2 D A Q J C A 10 9 4. Both vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens two spades. You double, and your partner bids three hearts. What do you say?
ANSWER: Your double suggested a hand worth at least 17 points with help for the unbid suits. Partner was obliged to respond; he will have at most eight points and may have none. To bid four hearts would be a gamble. (In some partnerships, partner’s three hearts would show some strength.)
South dealer
Neither side vulnerable
NORTH
S K J 9 8 3 2
H A K 7 3
D 2
C 6 5
WEST
S Q 7 6
H 4
D K 9 6 5 4 3
C Q J 7
EAST
S 5 4
H J 9 6 5
D 10 8 7
C K 8 3 2
SOUTH
S A 10
H Q 10 8 2
D A Q J
C A 10 9 4
South West North East
1 NT Pass 2 C Pass
2 H Pass 4 D Pass
4 NT Pass 5 H Pass
5 NT Pass 6 H All Pass
Opening lead — C J
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