The Merrimac Arrives

                             Larry Klimko
                             805-964-0334
                         lklimko@ispwest.com


  An exotic hand paid a visit to the Bridge Center recently, Friday, 2-9-07
  and it gave some players the opportunity to pull off a spectacular play.
  Here it is, Board 2 (rotated clockwise 90 degrees for convenience).

    Dealer: South
    Vul: EW
                 6 3 2                         The Traveller
                 6 3
                 K Q J 10 7 3                     3NTS   +4  430
                 A 5                            2@3NTS   +3  400
     K 10 5                    Q 9 8 7            1NTS   +4  180
     J 10 9 8 7                A 5 2              3DN    +4  130
     9                         A 6 5              3DN    +3  110
     10 9 8 2                  K 7 4              2DN    +3  110
                 A J 4                            3NTS   -1  -50
                 K Q 4                            3DN    -1  -50
                 8 4 2
                 Q J 6 3

  At my table South played in 1NT and got the heart jack lead.  East went
  up with the ace and sensed the need to knock out dummy's club entry and
  so led a club, the four.  Declarer put up the queen with some anxiety and
  held his breath.  When the queen held, he was relieved.  He immediately
  went to work on the diamonds.  East held up until the third round, but
  that play was futile.  Dummy still held the club entry.  Declarer was able
  to take five diamond tricks, two hearts, two clubs and one spade, making
  four.

  East had a better play at trick two, guaranteed in fact.  Do you see it,
  reader?  Yes.  East must lead his club king, sacrificing it.  Declarer is
  helpless.  If he takes the ace, the entry has been dislodged prematurely.
  East will hold up in diamonds thereby limiting declarer to two diamond
  tricks, a savings of three tricks for East-West.  And if declarer ducks
  the club, hoping to preserve the club entry, East simply continues with a
  low club, knocking out the ace.  This play, leading an unsupported honor
  in order to knock out an opponent's entry, is known as the Merrimac coup.
  The last time I saw this play come up at the table was some thirty years
  ago in a private game.  And then, I believe it was missed in the play,
  but discovered in the post mortem.