An Expert Should Get it Right
Author: Larry Cohen
Date of publish: 02/01/2019
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
This deal was (mis)played in the finals of the 2018 U.S. Team Trials. South held:
AKQ874
93
Q3
A85.
With nobody vulnerable, his partner passed and RHO opened a weak 2
. I'd be fine with a 3
overcall (showing an intermediate hand like this and a good 6+ card spade suit). However, at the table, 2
was chosen. LHO raised to 4
and partner's 4
bought the contract.
The
A was led:
J1062
A6
J75
Q973
|
|
AKQ874
93
Q3
A85
|
The defense played ace, king and another diamond, ruffed and overruffed. Declarer drew trumps, finding the 2
bidder with all 3 of them. Now what?
He needed to lose only one club trick and also discard a heart on dummy's clubs. Hoping for a 3-3 break with the king on his left, declarer played ace and another club. This was the Real Deal:
Vul:None Dlr: North |
J1062
A6
J75
Q973
|
|
--
Q52
AK9842
J1062
|
|
953
KJ10874
106
K4
|
|
AKQ874
93
Q3
A85
|
|
West correctly played low on the second club ("splitting" his honors could have proved disastrous). Declarer could try dummy's
Q (resulting in down 2), but he guessed to play low, but still down 1 (East took the
K and the defense still had to get a heart trick).
So, how could declarer have made it? The bidding and play marked East with 3=6=2=2 shape (he opened a weak two bid in hearts and showed up with 3 spades and 2 diamonds). Knowing he had only 2 clubs, the right play is clear. Go to dummy and lead a club to the 8! This "intrafinesse" wins the contract. West wins this trick, but later the
A drops the king and a marked finesse in clubs allows declarer to throw his heart on the fourth club for +420.
Note that the defense could have prevailed with a heart shift at trick 2.