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Article 65.3 (David's Well-Laid Plan)

Author: Larry Cohen Date of publish: 12/7/2007 Level: Intermediate

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See if you can match my partner, David Berkowitz's detailed analysis on this deal from the first session of the Reisinger teams in San Francisco (2007):

Vul: East West
Dlr: East
♠A 3
♥4
♦K 10 9 7 3 2
♣Q 8 5 3
 
♠ 
♥ 
♦ 
♣ 
 ♠ 
♥ 
♦ 
♣ 
 ♠K J
♥A 9 6 3
♦8 6 4
♣K J 6 4
 
WestNorthEastSouth
    
  Pass1♦*
1♠2♠Pass2N
Pass3♦PassPass
3♥Pass3♠Pass
Pass3NT**Double4♦
PassPassDoubleAll Pass

*Precision (could be short)

**Takeout

The auction is an eyeful. Let me try to summarize.

David systemically opened 1♦ (because 1♣ would have been strong).

After showing a limit raise, I attempted to bail out in 3♦ (a fine contract). LHO balanced and then in turn, I balanced to try to reach 4♣ or 4♦. David ended in 4♦X--not a terrible contract.

The ♥K was led to David's ♥A. He played a diamond and LHO won the ace. Another heart tapped dummy and the ♦K revealed the 3-1 break (LHO throwing a spade). Now what?

All you need is to play clubs for one loser. David carefully came to his spade king and led the ♣4 to LHO's 7, dummy's queen and RHO's ace. RHO cashed his good trump and tapped dummy with another heart. You play a low club from dummy and RHO plays the deuce. The moment of truth has arrived.

David put in the ♣6!

He played RHO for ♣A109x. His reasoning was as follows: RHO was willing to defend against 3♦. Accordingly, he probably had only 3-card spade support for his partner. That meant RHO was 3=3=3=4 and LHO was 6=5=1=1. (The opponents had no Michaels bid available over the Precision 1♦).

Good thinking partner. Alas, the full deal was:

Vul: 
Dlr: 
♠A 3
♥4
♦K 10 9 7 3 2
♣Q 8 5 3
 
♠Q 9 8 4 2
♥K Q J 10 2
♦A
♣10 7
 ♠10 7 6 5
♥8 7 5
♦Q J 5
♣A 9 2
 ♠K J
♥A 9 6 3
♦8 6 4
♣K J 6 4
 

As you see, this brilliant plan failed. The ♣6 lost to the ♣10, down 1. All of my students would have brought in this club suit for only one loser. I suppose I had the wrong partner this time. (The other table played our cards in 3NT undoubled down 2, for a tied board).



     

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