Bridge

False cards in defence are double-edged weapons: there is an acute danger of fooling partner rather than declarer. This deal, from the match between the US and Italy in the qualifying round robin of the World Team Olympiad, was an excellent example of one that paid handsome dividends.

South (Goldfein of the US) opened One Diamond and Burati pre-empted conservatively with only Three Hearts. After two passes, South tried his luck with Three No-trumps and this ended the auction.

Rightly diagnosing that a heart lead might prove costly, Burati found the inspired lead of 26. Dummy played low and Lanzarotti false-carded intelligently by putting in the queen rather than the obvious ten. Declarer won - there seemed little point in holding up - and, expecting East to hold 4A, led a low spade. It looked to him that, if East got in, the clubs would still be guarded. It was West who won, however, and (not unnaturally without much hope) exited with another club.

Bingo! His partner produced five unexpected tricks in the suit and that was two down. Now, if East had been playing normally on the first trick by inserting the ten, there would have been no reason not to hold off for one round. It would have seemed an unlikely precaution, but one that would have proved unexpectedly successful when the East hand would have been shut out of the subsequent action.

The Macallan Invitation Pairs takes place this week (Wednesday 5.30pm- 11pm, Thursday noon-11pm; Friday 12.30pm-6.30pm) at the White House Hotel, Albany Street, London. Tickets cost pounds 12.50 a session, pounds 35 for the whole event (details, 0181-878 5844).