LEARNING CENTER

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On the golf course (where I get many Real Deals), Victor Markowicz told me about this deal he witnessed in a South American Championship match. With both sides vulnerable, knockout teams, South held:

 

K10874
5
AKQJ9
72
His partner opened 1 and he responded 1. When partner rebid 2, South jumped directly to 3NT. Whether or not you like that bid, you must agree that he had the unbid suit well-stopped!

 

A low diamond was led and declarer faced:

 

 

	A Q10962 64 AQJ54
	K10874 5 AKQJ9 72

What is your plan? You have 5 diamonds, 2 spades and 1 club for sure. At the table, declarer won the 9 and took a club finesse. The finesse lost and back came a diamond. Now what?

 

There were serious entry problems. Declarer had 9 tricks (2 clubs, 2 spades and 5 diamonds) but couldn't cash them. He had no way to reach his K. Furthermore, he was in his hand for probably the last time, so he had to cash all of his diamonds. What should he throw from dummy?

 

 

Hoping that clubs were 3-3, declarer threw 2 hearts and 1 club as he ran his diamonds. If clubs split, he'd still have a 9th trick (by way of 1 spade, 3 clubs and 5 diamonds). Alas, this was the Real Deal:

 

 

 

 

 

Vul: North-South Dlr: North	A Q10962 64 AQJ54
J952 A74 10875 93		Q63 KJ83 32 K1086
	K10874 5 AKQJ9 72

As you can see, clubs were 4-2 and declarer was a trick short. The defense had 2 club tricks and 3 hearts.

 

Declarer's line of play might have been okay if overtricks were important, but at team scoring he had a sure way to 9 tricks.

 

At trick 2, cross to dummy's A. At trick 3 lead dummy's Q. Whether or nor the  defense takes it, declarer has a clear path (no entry problems) to 9 tricks. This isn't exactly the way we were taught to play xx opposite AQJ (lead the queen from dummy), but taking the full deal into account, it was the correct way to handle the suit this time.

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