Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 04/01/2019
Level: Intermediate
For the 4th month in a row, we visit the 2018 U.S. Team Trials. And, for the 4th month in a row, an expert's mistake cost big time. South held:
J5
76532
10
KQJ83.
Both vulnerable, his partner dealt and opened 1. RHO doubled and he chose an interesting 2. With the takeout doubler usually having hearts, I kind of like this off-beat action. You'll like it too when LHO bids 2(!) and your partner jumps to 5. RHO doubles and you play it there with a low spade lead:
Q76
--
AQ6432
A954
|
| |
J5
76532
10
KQJ83
|
RHO wins the K and shifts to the 6. Declarer ran this to dummy's 9 and led a second spade. East won and forced dummy with a heart. Declarer (belatedly) played the A and a low diamond (the king falling from East). He crossed to the A, LHO showing out, to leave:
Q
--
Q643
5
|
| |
--
7653
--
KQ
|
If everyone had followed on the second club, all would be good. Declarer would ruff a diamond in hand and dummy would be high (with the 5 as an entry via a heart ruff). However, East still had the 10. The diamonds weren't established (LHO still had 2 remaining). Declarer ended up down 2. This was the Real Deal:
Vul:Both
Dlr: North |
Q76
--
AQ6432
A954
|
|
10843
KJ94
9875
2
|
|
AK92
AQ108
KJ
1076
|
| |
J5
76532
10
KQJ83
|
|
Let's review the play. A spade was led to the king (double-dummy, only a trump lead sets the contract). The trump return went to dummy's 9, but declarer erred by playing a second spade. This allowed East to win and prematurely tap dummy.
At trick 3, declarer should work on diamonds. The A and a diamond ruff are followed by trump-drawing ending in dummy. The difference is that in this version, trumps are all drawn and dummy still has a trump remaining. Declarer sets up the diamonds with a ruff and then plays the J. East wins, but dummy is high (and still has a trump).
