A true False-Card must be built on truth, always ...
… the Old Master told me. Random mis-signaling will devastate only the player sitting across from you. Further, he said, one must recognize the opportunity to create a false image fast, thinking or hesitation will defuse the mine, no matter how well laid.
Last round of a Regional Swiss Team event, we are leading and playing the team laying second (the computer surpassed itself in match-making), six squads close behind hoping to feed on the carcass of the loser of this encounter.
Fifth board of nine (we have a likely 3 IMP lead), all red, the opponents know who you are, picking up …
S: J,9,3 | H: Q,J,9,6 | D: 7 | C: Q,J,8,3,2
... and hear 2 Spades on your right, 2 NT left, 3 Spades right, 4 Spades left. You ask, they answer: "Good hand, good suit". Any lead could be right, but singletons are attractive: one does not want to explain to one's mates why we did not get the diamond ruff, thus Seven of Diamonds onto the table. Dummy hits with …
S: A,6 | H: none | D: A,K,J,9,8,6 | C: 10,9,7,6,4
Ace from dummy, 2 from partner (encouraging), small from declarer, who leads the 4 of Clubs next. Partner wins the King, declarer produces another small card. Well shaped partner (of the gentler sex) produces the 10 of Spades and you have only as much time to recognize the imaginary Claymore Mine buried in this layout, as it takes declarer to decide to win in dummy, that is playing low from hand.
You cover with the Jack ! ! ! Dummy wins the Ace of course, and here is the scene of the crime …
| S: A,6 | ||
| H: - | ||
| D: A,K,J,9,8,6 | ||
| C: 10,9,7,6,4 | ||
| S: J,9,3 | * * * * * | S: 10,5 |
| H: Q,J,9,6 | * * | H: K,8,7,5,4,2 |
| D: 7 | * * | D: Q,10,2 |
| C: Q,J,8,3,2 | * * * * * | C: A,K |
| S: K,Q,8,5,4,2 | ||
| H: A,10,3 | ||
| D: 5,4,3 | ||
| C: 5 |
Let us follow declarer's (very good player) reasoning. He was planning to ruff a heart to protect against a possible trump loser, which is not necessary any more, because the lady on his right must have led from four trumps to the 10,9, destroying her trump trick. He can see, that all he has to do is to lead a trump from dummy, finesse the 8, pull 2 more rounds of trumps and duck a diamond, making 5 in comfort.
He does finesse, you win your 9, shift to a heart; declarer says something he really should not in a lady's presence. Anyway it is +200 to the good guys, not the –650 we were booked for.
The moral: False card effective only, when it creates the appearance of a clear danger or of a "tasty" present .
The obligation: Thank her for the thoughtful 10 lead,
without which one could never have built this trap.
