"Your honor," the District Attorney stated, "we will prove South committed a felony. He put a cold game on the floor."
"Proceed," said the judge.
"West led a trump against four spades," the DA related, "and South drew trumps, cashed the king of hearts and finessed with dummy's jack. East took the queen and led the ace and a low club.
"Declarer ruffed and led a heart to the ace. When West discarded, South ruffed dummy's last heart and tried a diamond to the queen. He lost two diamonds and went down."
"My client was unlucky," South's counsel argued.
GUILTY?
Would you find South guilty?
South has nine sure tricks and can take one more no matter how the East-West cards lie. After South draws trumps, his safest play is to take the top hearts and lead a club. East wins and leads a high club ... and South discards his last heart! Whether East leads a low heart next (South would discard), breaks the diamonds or leads a club (yielding a ruff-sluff), South is home.
Bridge by Frank Stewart
published 9-1-08
Washington Post