In the same online (IMP-scoring) tournament discussed last month, we have another example of a misplayed deal by a many-time National Champion. He opened 2
with:
AQJ763 
107 
107 
1097.
His partner raised to 4. The J (standard) was led and he saw:
| K2 A982 AJ832 A2 |
| AQJ763 107 107 1097 |
He was annoyed with his partner's bidding. Responder could have bid 2N (asking) then 3N. This sequence is "choice of games." With his flat hand, opener would pass and there would be 9 top tricks (barring a 5-0 spade split). Still, 4 looked easy enough. Declarer could trump a club in dummy for his 10th trick and lose only 1 heart, 1 diamond and 1 club. Or, he could try to set up a second heart trick. He won the A and played another heart. This was the Real Deal:
| Vul:South Dlr: E-W |
K2 A982 AJ832 A2 |
|
| 85 J4 Q94 QJ8543 |
1094 KQ653 K65 K6 |
|
| AQJ763 107 107 1097 |
East won the second trick with the Q and led a low heart, declarer throwing a diamond as West ruffed. West returned a low club taken by dummy's A. Now declarer played a second club. East won and played a high heart. Declarer ruffed high and would have been okay with normal breaks. But, when he trumped his club with the 2 in dummy, East overrufed, down 1.
It is true that declarer ran into some bad luck, but this is an easy deal to play. Had declarer not been fuming at his partner and just concentrated on the task at hand, he would have seen that this is basically a "draw trump and claim" deal. Win the A and draw trump. Only a 5-0 trump break would cause a problem. Once trump are drawn, use the power of the heart intermediates. Play the 10 and let East win. Dummy remains with the 98 and 2 entries. Declarer doesn't even need to ruff out the other high heart. Let's say the defense wins the heart and plays a club. Declarer takes the ace and plays a heart. Whether or not the defenders play high, declarer can throw one club now and the other club later. Or, declarer can trump the heart when East covers and use the other heart as the 10th trick. Call it a loser-on-loser play if you wish, but I'd call it careless to go down after that helpful J lead.
ddd