LEARNING CENTER

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.

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