Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 11/01/2017
Level: Intermediate
See if you can do better than a 30-time national champion on this deal from the 2017 Vanderbilt teams. At unfavorable vulnerability, South held:
K7
KQJ984
632
KQ.
His partner opened 1 and RHO (a known sound player) overcalled 2 (Michaels). Maybe a direct 3NT is possible, but South doubled to show penalty interest (but even in your wildest dreams, the opponents won't play in hearts). LHO bids 3 and this is passed back to you. You now try 3NT and everyone passes.
Surprisingly, the opening lead is the 10 (standard) and you see:
53
76
AQJ7
AJ1097
|
| |
K7
KQJ984
632
KQ
|
What is going on? Why didn't they lead a spade? How will you play?
With any "normal" spade holding (like Qxxx or Jxxx), West would have led a spade. Likely he has the A and knew from the bidding that you had the K. Had he led a spade, that would have given you 9 top tricks (if the diamond finesse is on). With this clever lead, even if the diamond finesse wins, you have only 8. A 3-3 diamond break would see you to nine, but that's highly unlikely.
Our expert took the diamond finesse at trick one. That was fine--in fact on dummy's J, East follows suit with the 4. Next, declarer played a heart from dummy, trying to sneak his ninth trick. RHO was up to the task. He rose with the A and shifted to the Q to set the contract. This was the Real Deal:
Vul:North-South
Dlr: North |
53
76
AQJ7
AJ1097
|
|
A1096
--
K10985
6532
|
|
QJ842
A10532
4
84
|
| |
K7
KQJ984
632
KQ
|
|
Granted, East made a good play when he grabbed his A, but declarer shouldn't have allowed him the chance. The bidding and lead gave him a road map to the winning line. Declarer should cross in clubs at trick two and repeat the diamond finesse. Next come all the clubs and the A to leave:
Vul:North-South
Dlr: North |
53
76
7
--
|
|
A109
--
K9
--
|
|
QJ84
A
|
| |
K7
KQJ
--
--
|
|
Declarer plays his losing diamond from dummy and West has to lead from his A after all.
