Perfect Technique

Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 11/01/2012
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

This deal was played in the 2012 U.S. Team Trials by Chris Willenken:

 

He chose to open 1?, dealer at favorable vulnerability holding:

 ?Q
?K 9 6 3 2
?A K Q 10 8 4
?10

 

 

 

 

Apparently, he considered the hand good enough to reverse (planning to bid hearts twice). LHO passed and partner made the surprising (but pleasing) response of 1?!  RHO preempted to 2? and Chris chose to cue-bid 3?. LHO bid 4? and Chris's partner, Michael Rosenberg, bid 5?. Right or wrong, Chris chose to pass, thus buying it in 5?.

The ?7 was led (3rd and 5th best leads) and he saw:

 

?8
?A J 7 4
?9 6 5 2
?J 8 4 3
 
?Q
?K 9 6 3 2
?A K Q 10 8 4
?10

 

East won the ?A and played the ?K then a low club. How should declarer play?


This deal is all about the heart suit. If they are 2-2, declarer can draw trump and then lay down the top hearts to make 11 tricks. But, might hearts be 3-1?  Why not try to get a count on the hand. How?

 

The first move is to carefully trump the club carefully with the ?10 (to preserve the ?8 and ?4 for crossing to dummy).


Next come the trumps. On the ?A, East plays the jack. Chris now crossed (sorry--couldn't resist that!) with the ?8 to the 9 (RHO showing out) and ruffed a 3rd round of clubs high (all following). Now came the the ?4 to the ?5 to ruff a 4th round of clubs. RHO showed out.


Since the lead was a 3rd/5th best ?7, declarer knew spades were 4-7 (West would have led a low one from a 5-card suit). So, RHO has 7 spades, 1 diamonds, 3 clubs and therefore 2 hearts. There is no reason to take any heart finesses. Declarer laid down the top hearts and this was the full layout:

 

Vul: E-W
Dlr: South
?8
?A J 7 4
?9 6 5 2
?J 8 4 3
 
?K 9 7 3
?8 5
?7 3
?A 9 7 5 2
  ?A J 10 6 5 4 2
?Q 10
?J
?K Q 6
  ?Q
?K 9 6 3 2
?A K Q 10 8 4
?10
 

 

At many tables in the Round Robin, declarer (in hearts, so unable to get a complete count), played the preempter for short hearts and lost a heart trick by playing low to the ?K and then finessing the ?J.  Willenken's team won 7 IMPs for +400 when his teammates played in 5? (bid against North-South's 5?).  The defense was accurate, carefully cashing out for down 1 (-100 E-W).