The Timing Was Off

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).