Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 06/01/2022
Level: Intermediate
This deal was played on BBO by my friend David Berkowitz with his student. Playing matchpoints, as South (nobody vulnerable), he held:
AJ
K1087
KQ86
K65.
RHO opened 1 and David overcalled 1NT, raised to 3NT. The 3 was led and he saw:
9832
A92
A92
Q42
|
| |
AJ
K1087
KQ86
K65
|
There aren't 9 top tricks, but there is potential for maybe four diamonds (with this lead and East's opening 1 bid) and maybe three hearts. Along with one in each black suit that would be 9.
David played the 9 from dummy and won East's J with the K.
He played a heart to the ace and ran the 9. Bad news. It lost to West's J.
Back came the 10. Now what?
The title "Rand McNally" (for anyone under 35) refers to the map company. David had a roadmap of the opponent's cards. East had opened 1 and West led a low diamond then the 10. So, diamonds had to be 3-3. Since East, playing standard, had opened 1 with only three of them, he had to be exactly 4=4=3=2.
Accordingly, David won the A and played a club to the king and ducked a club. This was the real deal:
Vul:East
Dlr: None |
9832
A92
A92
Q42
|
|
654
J4
1043
J9873
|
|
KQ107
Q653
J75
A10
|
| |
AJ
K1087
KQ86
K65
|
|
Never mind taking nine tricks; David had 10! He was able to later enter dummy with the Q to take the marked heart finesse. He took one spade, three hearts, four diamonds and two clubs for a top board.
