LarryCo. The Real Deal (Larry's ACBL column deals)

Larry Cohen

Not So Easy

When a hand looks easy, it pays to take a second to think aout what might go wrong. That's exactly what you need to do in this Real Deal.

4/1/2025
Level: Intermediate

For the Millionth Time

Larry's ACBL Real Deal column

1/1/2025
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

He Did What?

Even experts make mysterious (poor) plays. From Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column.

12/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

Battle Won, War Lost

Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column

11/1/2024
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Lots of Lessons

The Real Deal comes from Larry's work with The Common Game. Are you overcomplicating the auction?

10/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

A Little Extra Caution

This deal was played by my friend Gary Cohler in the 2022 Jacoby Open Swiss Teams in Providence:

9/1/2024
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Not so Safe

8/1/2024
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Two out of Three is Bad

7/1/2024
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Well Bid, Better Played

Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column

7/1/2024
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Nine in a Row

6/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

12 Comparisons

6/1/2024
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

JJ3

5/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

A Non-Finesse

Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column

5/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

Desperate Measures

4/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

Missed It Again

3/1/2024
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

From Complex to Simple

2/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

Moysian Reflex

1/1/2024
Level: Intermediate

For Once, a Winning Lead

12/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

An Odd Safe/Danger Layout

11/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

A surefire counterplan

10/1/2023
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Double Error

9/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

A Brilliant Exception

8/1/2023
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Multiple Chance

7/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

A Tantalizing Queen Guess

6/1/2023
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Better than Double Dummy

5/1/2023
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Victory Turned into Defeat

4/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

We Can Do Much Better

3/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

Game Try Double Justified

2/1/2023
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Semi-Real

1/1/2023
Level: Intermediate

Eight is Not Enough

12/1/2022
Level: All Levels

Need to Play More

11/1/2022
Level: Intermediate

An Uncommon Deal from the Common Game

10/1/2022
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Not Totally Impossible

9/1/2022
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

No Excuse

8/1/2022
Level: Intermediate

Succumbing to Temptation

7/1/2022
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Rand McNally

6/1/2022
Level: Intermediate

How to Play Jxx Opposite A10x

5/1/2022
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Even the Best

4/1/2022
Level: Intermediate

Another deal from Victor

3/1/2022
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Blackless

2/1/2022
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Blame the Time Zone

1/1/2022
Level: Intermediate

In Retrospect

12/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Another Accusation

11/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Diagnosable

10/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Two-Two Too Easy

9/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Playing with TGBH

8/1/2021
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Another 2-way Finesse

7/1/2021
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Notice the Nines

6/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Screen Reading

5/1/2021
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

An Abnormal Finesse

4/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Six-ever?

3/1/2021
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

By Rote

2/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Round-Suit Kings

1/19/2021
Level: Beginner

My Take

1/1/2021
Level: Intermediate

Finding Jack

12/1/2020
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Smooth Duck

11/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

Common Game Greed

10/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

Accidents Happen

9/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

Expert Spot Usage

8/1/2020
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Solid 1430

7/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

Turkey in Turkey

6/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

This Should be a Routine Move

5/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

10 For Sure

4/1/2020
Level: Intermediate

I Transfered, but I Declared!

3/1/2020
Level: Advanced

Not Hall-worthy

2/1/2020
Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Mr. Anonymous

1/1/2020
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Plan C

12/1/2019
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Handling a 4-2 Trump Split

11/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

Almost Real

10/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

But, what if they are 4-1?

9/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

Costly undertricks

8/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

The Real-ish Deal

8/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

A Long Side Suit in Hand

7/1/2019
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Best Try for a Twelfth

6/1/2019
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Logic Trumps Odds

5/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

The Timing Was Off

4/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

The GOAT?

3/1/2019
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

An Expert Should Get it Right

2/1/2019
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

The Ones We Should Get Right

1/1/2019
Level: Intermediate

High Level Balancing Act

12/1/2018
Level: Intermediate

Twice Wrong

11/1/2018
Level: Intermediate

From the Bergen Archives

10/1/2018
Level: Intermediate

4 + 3 = 7

9/1/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Double Dummy

8/1/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Even Better

7/1/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

9-Ever, But Not Always

6/1/2018
Level: Intermediate

Passive or Aggressive

5/1/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

RC Squared

4/1/2018
Level: Intermediate

A Ruffing Finesse?

3/1/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Declarer's Signals

2/1/2018
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Valuable Overtrick

1/1/2018
Level: Intermediate

Black Breaks

12/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

Roadmap

11/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

Wasting your own trumps

10/1/2017
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Why Take A losing Finesse?

9/1/2017
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

They Missed the Point

8/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

Think in Reverse

7/9/2017
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Modified Rodwell File

7/1/2017
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Red Herring

6/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

Good, but not good enough

5/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

Back to Florida

4/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

They Can't Take Four

3/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

Partner's Cards are Meaningful

2/12/2017
Level: Intermediate

Missed by Both Experts

2/1/2017
Level: Intermediate

6-5 Come Alive

1/1/2017
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Throw Losers, Keep Winners

12/1/2016
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Drop or Finesse?

11/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Vanishing Spades

10/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

What They Don't Know

9/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Watching Helplessly

8/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Way with the Odds

7/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Some Chance is Better than No Chance

5/31/2016
Level: Intermediate

Maximum Overtricks

4/25/2016
Level: Intermediate

Glossed Over

4/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Justifying Partner's Faith

3/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Good 8 Is Better than Bad 9

2/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

5-6-7

1/1/2016
Level: Intermediate

Pinochle Deck

12/20/2015
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Did You See it?

11/30/2015
Level: Intermediate

You're Not in 7

11/1/2015
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

3 Hearts?

10/1/2015
Level: Intermediate

Spot the Errors

9/1/2015
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Seesaw

7/29/2015
Level: Intermediate

My Diamonds are Good

6/29/2015
Level: Intermediate

Looking for Jack

5/22/2015
Level: Intermediate

Going Backwards

5/1/2015
Level: Intermediate

Only Spades

4/10/2015
Level: Intermediate

Greed is a Terrible Thing

4/1/2015
Level: Intermediate

Is This How We Learned to Finesse?

3/1/2015
Level: Intermediate

A Mature Decision

1/27/2015
Level: Intermediate

The Better 3-0

1/1/2015
Level: Intermediate

Embarrassed Again

1/1/2015
Level: All Levels

They Pay Bonuses

12/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

Judge John Again

11/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

Zero or Three?

10/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

Mispractice

9/1/2014
Level: Beginner

A Reflexive Unblock

8/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

I've Been in Worse Slams

7/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

12 For Me, 1 For Both of You

6/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

Play with the Stars

5/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

High Black, Low Black

4/1/2014
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Safety at Sea

3/1/2014
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Not by the Book

3/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

A Sneaky Spade Eight

2/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

Texas in Comp

1/1/2014
Level: Intermediate

Seduction

12/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

Lead Low from a Doubleton?

11/1/2013
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Trouble in the Big City

10/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

Judge John

9/1/2013
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Don't Give Them a Chance

8/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

Variation on a Theme

7/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

Switching Horses

7/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

Another SFBP Deal

6/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

A Taste of the High Life

5/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

3-2 or 4-1?

4/1/2013
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Moysian Maintenance

3/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

The Good Nine

2/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

Let Them Help

1/1/2013
Level: Intermediate

All For Naught

12/1/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Perfect Technique

11/1/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

8-4 Bid Some More

10/1/2012
Level: All Levels

Smooth

9/1/2012
Level: All Levels

What Can Go Wrong in Just 1 Hour?

8/1/2012
Level: All Levels

All In?

7/1/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Sure Thing?

6/1/2012
Level: Intermediate

It's a Chance

5/1/2012
Level: Intermediate

Check Your Reflexes

4/1/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Is it magic?

2/1/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

What's Going on Here?

1/1/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Where there are 8...

12/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Don't Get Discouraged

11/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Your Best Chance?

10/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Plan B from Down Under

9/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Staying Awake

7/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Quality not Blue

6/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

I Can't Stand It

6/1/2011
Level: All Levels

Not Yet

5/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

An Endplay in Wales

4/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Don't Let Your Heart(s) Distract You

3/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Careful In California

3/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

The Dentist without Baby Food

1/1/2011
Level: All Levels

It's Your Only Chance

1/1/2011
Level: Intermediate

Logical Bidding, Logical Play

12/1/2010
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Scary Save

9/1/2010
Level: Intermediate

Avoidance and Guesswork

7/1/2010
Level: Intermediate

A Curious Club Suit

6/16/2010
Level: Advanced

Could it hurt?

6/1/2010
Level: Intermediate

It's Always My Fault.

4/1/2010
Level: Intermediate

A Real Deal from Asia

11/6/2009
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Real Deal from Hunt Valley

9/4/2009
Level: Intermediate

Careful, Now

8/18/2009
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Good declarer, Good defender

6/27/2009
Level: Intermediate

When in doubt...

6/25/2009
Level: Intermediate

Loser on Loser Squared

6/18/2009
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Don't Let Partner Err

6/16/2009
Level: Intermediate

David's call from Oregon

2/3/2009
Level: Intermediate

Get out the Scissors

12/3/2007
Level: Intermediate

Don't Give Up

4/6/2006
Level: Intermediate

15 years later!

3/2/2001
Level: Intermediate