Hand of the Week
| West | North | East | South |
| 1♥ | |||
| 2♦ | 2♥ | Pass | Pass |
| 2♠ | 3♣ | Dbl | 3♥ |
| All Pass |
–>
Jeff Meckstroth is properly regarded as one of the best bridge players in the world. This deal, from the 1999 Cavendish, won him an award for best-played hand of the year. Meckstroth was South.
West led the ♥A and another heart after Meckstroth had opened on very light values.
Meckstroth immediately formed a picture of the West hand – four spades, six diamonds, a probably singleton club honor (no club lead) and likely split diamond honors (no high diamond lead).
At trick three, Meckstroth led his singleton club, won the return of the ♠Q in dummy, and advanced the ♣Q, covered and ruffed. This was the ending:
Meckstroth was on lead as South, needing six more tricks. As you can see, playing on diamonds does not work. East will take the trick and draw a round of trumps. Ruffing a spade in dummy brings you to eight tricks, but not to nine.
Meckstroth found the spectacular coup of leading the ♠10 from hand!
If West takes the trick and leads either spade back (a diamond is no better), declarer wins in hand, pitching a diamond from dummy. He plays the ♦A, ruffs a diamond, ruffs a club and leads a losing heart to endplay East into leading a club from the 10-8 into dummy’s J-9.
West actually ducked the ♠10, hoping his partner had the king. That let Meckstroth cashed the ♠K to pitch a diamond, cash the ♦A and ruff a diamond. He then scored the ♣J and ruffed a club for nine tricks and an award from the International Bridge Press Association.
The full deal: