Back to Florida

Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 04/01/2017
Level: Intermediate

This deal comes from a frequent source of material for me, the Wednesday South Florida IMP team game. South was in 4th seat holding:

♠ A  
♥ KQJ1086  
♦ K3  
♣ 10986
After three passes, he opened 1♠. LHO overcalled 1♠ and after a negative double, RHO raised to 2♠. South bid 3♠, raised to 4♠. The ♠J was led:

♠ 8752
♥ 73
♦ 976
♣ AKJ4
 
♠ A
♥ KQJ1086
♦ K3
♣ 10986

Declarer won the ♠A and played the ♠K. RHO took the ace and played a low diamond to the ♠K and West's ace. West cashed the ♠Q and tried a third diamond to East's ten, declarer ruffing.

 

Declarer drew trump (West started with two) and crossed to the ♠A. He ruffed a spade (all playing low) and led the ♠10, low, ...?

Both declarers went with the odds (8-ever, 9-never and finessed). This was the Real Deal: 

Vul:Both
Dlr: West
♠ 8752
♥ 73
♦ 976
♣ AKJ4
 
♠ KJ1096
♥ 94
♦ AQ4
♣ 753
  ♠ Q43
♥ A52
♦ J10852
♣ Q2
  ♠ A
♥ KQJ1086
♦ K3
♣ 10986
 

As you can see, playing for the drop was the winning action. Should declarer have done so? With the facts as stated, yes. Beware when a bridge column (or any deal, for that matter) starts with three passes. West has shown up with 10 points (he is known to have the ♠KJ from the bidding and play, and has shown the ♠AQ). That leaves no room for ♠Qxx. He would have opened the bidding with ♠KJ10xx ♠xx ♠AQx ♠Qxx. Note that East should have followed with the ♠Q on the second round of the suit (to at least leave open the possibility that the lead was from ♠J10xxx).