The Safety Harbour Regional takes place with the added enjoyment of a beautiful background overlooking the water and the benefit of the renowned Spa at the hotel.
Here is a hand when Jim Mahaffey made a good defense living up to the above name.
Mahaffey hit on a good opening lead of the club 2 to the 9 King and Ace. South led the 9 and West continued his good work by covering with the K. Declarer won in dummy to lead the Q covered with the K and Ace. He now led the 9. Winning this trick would leave no defense as declarer could win the C return and knock out the Q. He could now get to dummy with a diamond and make 4diamonds 2 clubs 2 hearts and a spade. The 9 was therefore ducked and now declarer had a problem with his communications.
If he played another diamond a club would come back. Now he could set up a heart trick by playing to dummy's J but a spade back would take out the entry needed for the fifth diamond (after going to dummy with the fourth). So South tried a low spade towards the Jack. West had to win his King to stop the ninth trick. Now not being certain who held the 8 he completed his good work by returning a heart allowing East to clear hearts while still holding the J. Declarer had no answer and had to go down 1.
In the replay Mike Cappelletti Jnr made a better play at trick two when he won the Club lead to play a low spade. Now the defense had no answer as if West wins to play a heart declarer can rise with the Ace and set up four diamond tricks giving him 4 diamonds 2 spades 2 clubs and one heart.