LEARNING CENTER

This deal was (mis)played in the finals of the 2018 U.S. Team Trials. South held:

 AKQ874  
 93  
 Q3  
 A85.
 

With nobody vulnerable, his partner passed and RHO opened a weak 2. I'd be fine with a 3 overcall (showing an intermediate hand like this and a good 6+ card spade suit). However, at the table, 2 was chosen. LHO raised to 4 and partner's 4 bought the contract.

The A was led:

J1062  A6  J75  Q973

AKQ874  93  Q3  A85

The defense played ace, king and another diamond, ruffed and overruffed. Declarer drew trumps, finding the 2 bidder with all 3 of them. Now what?

He needed to lose only one club trick and also discard a heart on dummy's clubs. Hoping for a 3-3 break with the king on his left, declarer played ace and another club. This was the Real Deal:

Vul:None Dlr: North	J1062  A6  J75  Q973
--  Q52  AK9842  J1062		953  KJ10874  106  K4
	AKQ874  93  Q3  A85

West correctly played low on the second club ("splitting" his honors could have proved disastrous). Declarer could try dummy's Q (resulting in down 2), but he guessed to play low, but still down 1 (East took the K and the defense still had to get a heart trick).

So, how could declarer have made it? The bidding and play marked East with 3=6=2=2 shape (he opened a weak two bid in hearts and showed up with 3 spades and 2 diamonds). Knowing he had only 2 clubs, the right play is clear. Go to dummy and lead a club to the 8! This "intrafinesse" wins the contract. West wins this trick, but later the A drops the king and a marked finesse in clubs allows declarer to throw his heart on the fourth club for +420.

Note that the defense could have prevailed with a heart shift at trick 2.

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