Best Defense of 1994
Zia Mahmood
Journaiist: Aian Truscott
From The New York Times

The most brilliant defensive play at the American Contract Bridge
League's Summer Nationals in San Diago will very likely prove to
be the best of 1994.  It occurred on the diagramed deal from an
early round of the Spingold Knockout Team Championship and the
hero was Zia Mahmood a colourful Pakistani expert who lives in
Manhattan but is usually playing Bridge somewhere else.

Zia held the East hand and defended 3NT.  North's 2S bid at his
second turn was "new Minor forcing" asking South about his Major
suit holdings.  West therefore led a Diamond since that was the
only suit that had not been genuinely bid.

                       S AJ1063
                       H K62
                       D A106
                       C 107
      S Q73                           S 985
      H J983                          H 74
      D 973                           D KJ54
      C AK9                           C Q863
                       S K2
                       H AQ106
                       D Q82
                       C J542

South  West   North  East
1C     Pass   1S     Pass
1NT    Pass   2D     Pass
2H     Pass   3NT    Pass

Opening Lead  D3


First, consider how the play would have gone with normal defense.
South plays low from Dummy and East wins the King and returns the
suit. South sees that he can make at most eight tricks unless he
brings in at least three Spade tricks so he plays for West to have
the SQ and finds he has ten tricks. That sequence was followed
when Zia's teammates held the North/South cards.

Zia Knew that the Spades were favorably placed. so he tried to
confuse the issue for Declarer.  When the D6 was played from Dummy
Zia played the DJ. This play was not going to cost anything, whoever
held the QD.

When South won the DQ, he was convinced that the DK was on his left,
which meant that he could take three Diamond tricks, not two. This
offered the prospect of taking seven Red suit tricks plus two Spade
tricks, so he played three top Hearts. When the Jack failed to drop
he confidently finessed the D10 and was considerably deflated when
Zia produced the DK and shifted to the CQ, defeating the contract.

EDlTOR'S NOTE: The international Bridge Press Association makes
awards for the best played, bid and defended hands of the year.
We will be featuring winners Past and present. in this and future
issues of Brewer Bridge.