This celebrated hand occurred in the Spingold team championship played in Miami Beach in 1958. It features a brilliant defensive play by Sidney Lazard, which contributed greatly to his team’s victory that year.

At the first table, Lazard’s teammates were North-South and reached six notrump on the bidding shown. South won the heart lead with the ace, cashed three more hearts, crossed to the jack of spades and led a diamond to the king, losing to West’s ace. Declarer later took a winning club finesse to make the slam for a score of 990 points.

At the second table, where Lazard sat West, the bidding went:

At this table, West also led a heart. Declarer put up dummy’s ace, came to his hand with a heart and returned to dummy with a spade. He then led a diamond to the king, but Lazard, smooth as silk, followed with the deuce!

With 11 tricks already assured and the ace of diamonds apparently situated on his right, declarer saw no reason to risk a club finesse for his 12th trick.

So, he played the ace and another spade and then led another diamond toward his hand. Lazard took the queen with the ace and returned a diamond to East’s jack, and South went down one for a combined loss of 1,040 points on the deal.

Tomorrow: Killing two birds with one stone.

King Features Syndicate Inc.