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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