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Greed is a Terrible Thing

Greed is a Terrible Thing

This deal was played by Jesse Reisman (who directs on many of my cruises) at the Shrine Center Bridge Club in Livingston, NJ. With both sides vulnerable, you are in 4th seat holding:

bridge card suitKQJ10
bridge card suitAK5
bridge card suitQ65
bridge card suitA87

After 2 passes, RHO opens with 1bridge card suit. I like 1NT overcalls (especially vulnerable) to be up to 18 points. This hand is 19, so a bit too strong. Therefore, I'd start with a double, planning to bid notrump next round. After your double, LHO raises to 2bridge card suit, passed back to you. 

I could see an argument for doubling again, or maybe even bidding the very chunky 4-card spade suit. Even passing is possible (hoping to collect 200). However, Jesse followed through with the notrump plan and chose 2NT. Everyone passed and the bridge card suit8 was led:

bridge card suitA76
bridge card suitJ962
bridge card suit1092
bridge card suit1032
 
bridge card suitKQJ10
bridge card suitAK5
bridge card suitQ65
bridge card suitA87

Dummy has quite a lot (a raise to 3NT was surely a possibility). RHO wins the bridge card suitK, bridge card suitA and plays the bridge card suitJ. This is welcome defense, as you now have 8 top tricks. What do you think the opposing distribution is?

Actually, you have a clue at trick one. LHO raised vulnerable to 2bridge card suit. It is most unlikely he would have done so with only 3 cards. Now that he has all small ones, he rates to have bridge card suit8xxx. Why would RHO open in a 3-card diamond suit? Usually because of 4=4=3=2 distribution (in that order). This is not a sure thing (he was in 3rd seat and might have preferred bridge card suitAKJ on only three to direct the opening lead).

With 8 sure tricks, you might as well try for an additional trick in hearts. On your bridge card suitAK, LHO drops the bridge card suitQ on the second round. That means RHO started with bridge card suit10xxx. You're now up to 9 tricks, but greed is a terrible thing. I'm thinking of throwing RHO in to lead away from his bridge card suit10x in the ending. This would provide 10 tricks and +180 for a great matchpoint score.

What's the problem with this plan? A good East player will unblock clubs from, say bridge card suitKx, avoiding the endplay. But, if he doesn't unblock, or he started with 2 honors doubleton, he is in trouble. To make it harder for him to unblock, let's say you cross to dummy's bridge card suitA and lead a low club. RHO plays low. So much for 2 honors doubleton. You win your bridge card suitA and cash the spades, RHO following to all of them (further confirming his 4=4=3=2 shape).

In the ending, you have bridge card suitJ9 in the dummy and if RHO's last 3 cards are bridge card suitK and bridge card suit10x, you can play a club and make your extra overtrick. Should you? Are you still with me?

Jesse went for it (somewhat insulting his RHO for failing to unblock,--but that player was not an expert). This was the Real Deal:

Vul: Both
Dir: West
bridge card suitA76
bridge card suitJ962
bridge card suit1092
bridge card suit1032
bridge card suit92
bridge card suitQ8
bridge card suit8743
bridge card suitKJ965
bridge card suit8543
bridge card suit10743
bridge card suitAKJ
bridge card suitQ4
bridge card suitKQJ10
bridge card suitAK5
bridge card suitQ65
bridge card suitA87

Let's review the play. East started with three high diamonds to declarer's bridge card suitQ. Declarer laid down the top hearts, and 5 top black cards. In the 3-card ending, East was down to bridge card suit107 and bridge card suitQ.

When declarer exited with a club, West's last 3 cards were bridge card suitKJ and the long diamond. Had West lazily followed with the bridge card suitJ, East would have had to win his bridge card suitQ and concede 10 tricks. However, West was on the ball and figured out to rise with his bridge card suitK! This swallowed his partner's bridge card suitQ, preventing the endplay. West took the last 3 tricks, holding declarer to 120. This defensive play is called a Crocodile Coup (opening the jaws wide to swallow partner's honor).  Actually, the West hero was an expert (Will Ehlers), playing with one of his students. After the deal, East thanked West for his alertness in taking her off the endplay.