Augustin the Magician

If asked the question, “who is the best player in the world, those in the know would all come up with the same player: Agustin Madala.

Madala was the only declarer to make [I’ve heard that beginning to many a sentence] 6 ♥ on this deal from the round robin stage of the recent Bermuda Bowl in Bali. This is how he will have reasoned on West’s three of clubs lead:

“The bidding has marked East with five diamonds and West with four. The nine missing spades pretty- much have to be split five with West (any more and he’d have bid spades) and four with East (any more and he’d have bid the suit). It appears West has led a singleton club (why else lead dummy’s suit?), therefore he has three hearts. West is clearly hoping his partner will win an early lead, perhaps with the ace of clubs or ace of hearts to give the club ruff. If his hearts were ♥ KJx/ ♥ Kxx, a possible/probable trick, would he be playing to put partner in to score a ruff? More likely he’d led a diamond to try to set up a winner there. His three hearts rate to be ♥ Jxx rather than ♥ KJx/♥ Kxx. East’s singleton heart is probably the king”.

Declarer rose with the ace of clubs, spurning one finesse, then cashed the ace of hearts (key play), spurning the other. East’s king duly fell, whereupon declarer could ruff a diamond, finesse the ten of hearts, cash the queenfelling West’s jack and knock out the king of clubs, to chalk up 12 tricks and slam made. Magic.