Handling a 4-2 Trump Split
Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 11/01/2019
Level: Intermediate
This deal was played in the 2018 World Championships. A 4-2 split, you wonder? That means our trump fit was only 7 cards? I suppose so. In the Round of 8 in the Knockout Teams, South held:
K5
AJ754
108
J1083.
His partner (white against red) opened 1NT and he responded 2, a transfer to hearts. LHO doubled and this was passed around to him. Opener's refusal to accept the transfer would typically mean he has only 2 hearts. South tried 3 (forcing) and opener bid 3. What's that? Not clear for now, but without a diamond stopper, South bid 3, raised to 4. The 4 was led:
AQJ9
Q10
K54
KQ62
|
| |
K5
AJ754
108
J1083
|
Partner might have tried 3NT--we'll see later how that would have fared.
East wins the club lead and returns a club, ruffed small by West. West plays the A and the Q which you win in dummy. Needing the rest, you lead the Q for a finesse. It wins (West following with the 8). On the 10, East covers with the king to your ace and West throws a diamond to leave:
AQJ9
--
5
KQ
|
| |
K5
J75
--
J10
|
East remains with 9x, but careful handling picks up the suit. Knowing the clubs will cash, you take both of them and then ruff a diamond. This reduces you to the same number of trumps as East. Then, you play the K and a spade to dummy. If East started with a singleton spade (1=4=4=4) you will be down, but this is quite unlikely. In fact, the full deal is shown below. With the lead in dummy at trick 12, you lead a spade and have your J7 over East's 96. You lost the first 3 tricks, but rallied to win the next 10.
Vul:East-West
Dlr: North |
AQJ9
Q10
K54
KQ62
|
|
108432
83
AQJ96
4
|
|
76
K962
732
A975
|
| |
K5
AJ754
108
J1083
|
|
So, what about 3NT by North? After a diamond to the jack (ducked) and the Q continuation, declarer would have to win the K. If he tried to knock out the A (hoping diamonds were 6-2 with the A with the doubleton), he'd swiftly be defeated. If instead he advanced the Q, he'd have 3 hearts, 4 spades and a diamond. Still, 3NT is down 1 on the Real deal. Well bid and well played for +420.
