Even the Best

Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 04/01/2022
Level: Intermediate

This deal was (mis)played by one of the game's greatest declarers. In the 2021 Austin National Swiss Teams, he held:

♠ 932  
♥ --  
♦ K109873  
♣ J943.
 

With both sides vulnerable, he opened a modern aggressive weak two-bid in diamonds. Partner raised to 7! Wow.  The ♠Q was led and dummy was awesome:

 

♠ --
♥ AKQ53
♦ AQJ2
♣ A1087
 
♠ 932
♥ --
♦ K109873
♣ J943

 Declarer ruffed in dummy and planned a crossruff. He took three high hearts throwing cubs. Then ♠A, club ruffed high, spade ruff, etc.

What's wrong with that? Hearts were 6-2. Thie was the Real Deal:

 

 

Granted, the 6-2 heart break was unlucky, but declarer needn't have risked that bad split. After the spade lead ruffed in dummy, declarer ruffs a (low) heart in hand to ruff a second spade in dummy. Then another small heart is ruffed in hand. Now the final spade is ruffed with dummy's ♠A. Then comes dummy's remaining diamond, overtaken to draw trumps. Then and only then, dummy is entered with the ♠A for the 3 high hearts.

 

Vul:Both
Dlr: South
♠ --
♥ AKQ53
♦ AQJ2
♣ A1087
 
♠ QJ865
♥ J4
♦ 64
♣ K652
  ♠ AK1074
♥ 1098762
♦ 5
♣ Q
  ♠ 932
♥ --
♦ K109873
♣ J943
 

 

The spade lead made life easy. With a different lead (like a trump, for example), things are more complicated. So complicated that declarer can't make it!