Larry Cohen

For the Millionth Time

Larry's ACBL Real Deal column

• 1/1/2025
• Level: Beginner to Intermediate

He Did What?

Even experts make mysterious (poor) plays. From Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column.

• 12/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

Battle Won, War Lost

Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column

• 11/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Lots of Lessons

The Real Deal comes from Larry's work with The Common Game. Are you overcomplicating the auction?

• 10/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

A Little Extra Caution

This deal was played by my friend Gary Cohler in the 2022 Jacoby Open Swiss Teams in Providence:

• 9/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Not so Safe

• 8/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Two out of Three is Bad

• 7/1/2024
• Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Well Bid, Better Played

Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column

• 7/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Nine in a Row

• 6/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

12 Comparisons

• 6/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

JJ3

• 5/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

A Non-Finesse

Larry's ACBL Real Deal Column

• 5/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

Desperate Measures

• 4/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

Missed It Again

• 3/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

From Complex to Simple

• 2/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

Moysian Reflex

• 1/1/2024
• Level: Intermediate

For Once, a Winning Lead

• 12/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

An Odd Safe/Danger Layout

• 11/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

A surefire counterplan

• 10/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Double Error

• 9/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

A Brilliant Exception

• 8/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Multiple Chance

• 7/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

A Tantalizing Queen Guess

• 6/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Better than Double Dummy

• 5/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Victory Turned into Defeat

• 4/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

We Can Do Much Better

• 3/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

Game Try Double Justified

• 2/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Semi-Real

• 1/1/2023
• Level: Intermediate

Eight is Not Enough

• 12/1/2022
• Level: All Levels

Need to Play More

• 11/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate

An Uncommon Deal from the Common Game

• 10/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Not Totally Impossible

• 9/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

No Excuse

• 8/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate

Succumbing to Temptation

• 7/1/2022
• Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Rand McNally

• 6/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate

How to Play Jxx Opposite A10x

• 5/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Even the Best

• 4/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate

Another deal from Victor

• 3/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Blackless

• 2/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Blame the Time Zone

• 1/1/2022
• Level: Intermediate

In Retrospect

• 12/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Another Accusation

• 11/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Diagnosable

• 10/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Two-Two Too Easy

• 9/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Playing with TGBH

• 8/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Another 2-way Finesse

• 7/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Notice the Nines

• 6/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Screen Reading

• 5/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

An Abnormal Finesse

• 4/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Six-ever?

• 3/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

By Rote

• 2/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Round-Suit Kings

• 1/19/2021
• Level: Beginner

My Take

• 1/1/2021
• Level: Intermediate

Finding Jack

• 12/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Smooth Duck

• 11/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

Common Game Greed

• 10/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

Accidents Happen

• 9/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

Expert Spot Usage

• 8/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Solid 1430

• 7/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

Turkey in Turkey

• 6/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

This Should be a Routine Move

• 5/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

10 For Sure

• 4/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate

I Transfered, but I Declared!

• 3/1/2020
• Level: Advanced

Not Hall-worthy

• 2/1/2020
• Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Mr. Anonymous

• 1/1/2020
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Plan C

• 12/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Handling a 4-2 Trump Split

• 11/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

Almost Real

• 10/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

But, what if they are 4-1?

• 9/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

Costly undertricks

• 8/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

The Real-ish Deal

• 8/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

A Long Side Suit in Hand

• 7/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Best Try for a Twelfth

• 6/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Logic Trumps Odds

• 5/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

The Timing Was Off

• 4/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

The GOAT?

• 3/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

An Expert Should Get it Right

• 2/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

The Ones We Should Get Right

• 1/1/2019
• Level: Intermediate

High Level Balancing Act

• 12/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate

Twice Wrong

• 11/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate

From the Bergen Archives

• 10/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate

4 + 3 = 7

• 9/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Double Dummy

• 8/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Even Better

• 7/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

9-Ever, But Not Always

• 6/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate

Passive or Aggressive

• 5/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

RC Squared

• 4/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate

A Ruffing Finesse?

• 3/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Declarer's Signals

• 2/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Valuable Overtrick

• 1/1/2018
• Level: Intermediate

Black Breaks

• 12/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Roadmap

• 11/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Wasting your own trumps

• 10/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Why Take A losing Finesse?

• 9/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

They Missed the Point

• 8/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Think in Reverse

• 7/9/2017
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Modified Rodwell File

• 7/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Red Herring

• 6/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Good, but not good enough

• 5/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Back to Florida

• 4/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

They Can't Take Four

• 3/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Partner's Cards are Meaningful

• 2/12/2017
• Level: Intermediate

Missed by Both Experts

• 2/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate

6-5 Come Alive

• 1/1/2017
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Throw Losers, Keep Winners

• 12/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Drop or Finesse?

• 11/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Vanishing Spades

• 10/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

What They Don't Know

• 9/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Watching Helplessly

• 8/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Way with the Odds

• 7/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Some Chance is Better than No Chance

• 5/31/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Maximum Overtricks

• 4/25/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Glossed Over

• 4/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Justifying Partner's Faith

• 3/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Good 8 Is Better than Bad 9

• 2/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

5-6-7

• 1/1/2016
• Level: Intermediate

Pinochle Deck

• 12/20/2015
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Did You See it?

• 11/30/2015
• Level: Intermediate

You're Not in 7

• 11/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

3 Hearts?

• 10/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Spot the Errors

• 9/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Seesaw

• 7/29/2015
• Level: Intermediate

My Diamonds are Good

• 6/29/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Looking for Jack

• 5/22/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Going Backwards

• 5/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Only Spades

• 4/10/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Greed is a Terrible Thing

• 4/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Is This How We Learned to Finesse?

• 3/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate

A Mature Decision

• 1/27/2015
• Level: Intermediate

The Better 3-0

• 1/1/2015
• Level: Intermediate

Embarrassed Again

• 1/1/2015
• Level: All Levels

They Pay Bonuses

• 12/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

Judge John Again

• 11/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

Zero or Three?

• 10/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

Mispractice

• 9/1/2014
• Level: Beginner

A Reflexive Unblock

• 8/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

I've Been in Worse Slams

• 7/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

12 For Me, 1 For Both of You

• 6/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

Play with the Stars

• 5/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

High Black, Low Black

• 4/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Safety at Sea

• 3/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Not by the Book

• 3/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

A Sneaky Spade Eight

• 2/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

Texas in Comp

• 1/1/2014
• Level: Intermediate

Seduction

• 12/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

Lead Low from a Doubleton?

• 11/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Trouble in the Big City

• 10/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

Judge John

• 9/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Don't Give Them a Chance

• 8/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

Variation on a Theme

• 7/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

Switching Horses

• 7/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

Another SFBP Deal

• 6/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

A Taste of the High Life

• 5/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

3-2 or 4-1?

• 4/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Moysian Maintenance

• 3/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

The Good Nine

• 2/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

Let Them Help

• 1/1/2013
• Level: Intermediate

All For Naught

• 12/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Perfect Technique

• 11/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

8-4 Bid Some More

• 10/1/2012
• Level: All Levels

Smooth

• 9/1/2012
• Level: All Levels

What Can Go Wrong in Just 1 Hour?

• 8/1/2012
• Level: All Levels

All In?

• 7/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Sure Thing?

• 6/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate

It's a Chance

• 5/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate

Check Your Reflexes

• 4/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Is it magic?

• 2/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

What's Going on Here?

• 1/1/2012
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Where there are 8...

• 12/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Don't Get Discouraged

• 11/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Your Best Chance?

• 10/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Plan B from Down Under

• 9/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Staying Awake

• 7/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Quality not Blue

• 6/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

I Can't Stand It

• 6/1/2011
• Level: All Levels

Not Yet

• 5/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

An Endplay in Wales

• 4/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Don't Let Your Heart(s) Distract You

• 3/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Careful In California

• 3/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

The Dentist without Baby Food

• 1/1/2011
• Level: All Levels

It's Your Only Chance

• 1/1/2011
• Level: Intermediate

Logical Bidding, Logical Play

• 12/1/2010
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Scary Save

• 9/1/2010
• Level: Intermediate

Avoidance and Guesswork

• 7/1/2010
• Level: Intermediate

A Curious Club Suit

• 6/16/2010
• Level: Advanced

Could it hurt?

• 6/1/2010
• Level: Intermediate

It's Always My Fault.

• 4/1/2010
• Level: Intermediate

A Real Deal from Asia

• 11/6/2009
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

A Real Deal from Hunt Valley

• 9/4/2009
• Level: Intermediate

Careful, Now

• 8/18/2009
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Good declarer, Good defender

• 6/27/2009
• Level: Intermediate

When in doubt...

• 6/25/2009
• Level: Intermediate

Loser on Loser Squared

• 6/18/2009
• Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Don't Let Partner Err

• 6/16/2009
• Level: Intermediate

David's call from Oregon

• 2/3/2009
• Level: Intermediate

Get out the Scissors

• 12/3/2007
• Level: Intermediate

Don't Give Up

• 4/6/2006
• Level: Intermediate

15 years later!

• 3/2/2001
• Level: Intermediate