Friday, August 27, 2021 GOREN BRIDGE

WITH BOB JONES ©2021 Tribune Content Agency, LLC THE SCISSORS COUP Neither vulnerable, West deals to win the first round of trumps, cross to partner with the ace of hearts, and NORTH get a club ruff. That would be down ♠ 9 3 one for certain and he could then try ♥ K J 10 5 to cash the king of diamonds. ♦ Q 4 2 Apfelbaum realized what West ♣ A Q 9 4 was up to and he found an excellent WEST EAST counter. He won the club shift at ♠ A K 7 4 ♠ Void trick two with dummy’s ace and ♥ 9 8 7 6 4 ♥ A 3 2 led the queen of diamonds. Instead ♦ A K 9 ♦ J 10 7 6 5 3 of ruffing, he simply discarded his ♣ 2 ♣ J 7 6 5 queen of hearts. This play is known SOUTH as the Scissors Coup. It scissored ♠ Q J 10 8 6 5 2 the communication between the ♥ Q defenders’ hands. There was no ♦ 8 longer an entry to the East hand and ♣ K 10 8 3 there would be no club ruff for West. In the fullness of time, South was The bidding: able to draw trumps and make his WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH doubled contract. Well done! 1♥ Pass 2♥ 3♠ West could have defeated the Dbl All pass contract by leading his singleton club at trick one, or by leading the ace of Opening lead: Ace of ♦ trumps and then shifting to a club. Do you think West made a poor South in today’s deal was lead? We don’t, but there are a slew Pennsylvania expert Jay Apfelbaum. of bridge players who “always” lead East and West were world-class their singleton. This is their day to players. smile. West led the ace of diamonds and stopped to make a plan. He did not (Bob Jones welcomes readers’ know whether a second diamond responses sent in care of this was cashing, but that could wait until newspaper or to Tribune Content later. West shifted to his singleton Agency, LLC., 16650 Westgrove club at trick two. He was threatening Dr., Suite 175, Addison, TX 75001.)