May 2019 - 55

Intermediate Players

The Real Deal
BY LARRY COHEN

larryco.com

Logic trumps odds
For the fifth consecutive month, we
visit a misplayed deal from the 2018
U.S. Team Trials. Watching online can
frustrate me, as I expect more from the
expert players. South held:
♠A K Q ♥Q 7 5 ♦A K Q J 5 ♣J 9.
Vulnerable against not, he opened
2♣ and after partner's 2♦ waiting, rebid 2NT to show 22-24 balanced. Partner used Stayman and then jumped to
5NT to offer a choice of slams. South
suggested diamonds, but North was
having none of that and corrected to
6NT. A low diamond was led:
♠J97
♥ K 10 9 6
♦98
♣AQ54
♠AKQ
♥Q75
♦AKQJ5
♣J9
Dummy's ♦9 held. What are the
odds?
You don't need to know them! You
just need good logic. Can you figure out
the best line of play? (Note: There is no
100% line.)
Start by counting top tricks. You
have three spades, five diamonds and
one club. One big conclusion is that you
should disregard the club suit. Even
if you were to win a club finesse, that
would get you to only 10 tricks. You
could later establish a sure heart trick,
but would still need to find the ♥J for
a 12th trick.

Because you have to find the ♥J
regardless, there is no reason to take
an initial club finesse. Contrast the
club finesse plan to working on hearts
(the right play). If you can find the
♥J (which you always need) and take
three heart tricks, you won't need a
club finesse. You'd have the nine top
tricks mentioned above and three heart
tricks. So, it is only a question of how to
play hearts.
You can finesse against either opponent for the ♥J, but you should
choose to finesse against West (LHO).
Why? Because if he has the ♥J - a
50% chance - you claim 12 tricks. If
you play East for it and he has it, you
are not home free. You still need a
reasonable heart break or club finesse.
Picture, for example, East with
♥J x x x or ♥A J x x. You'd lead the
♥10 for a finesse, but later, the ♥Q
and another heart would reveal that
the suit isn't running.
In dummy at trick 2, lead a low heart
(East could have a singleton jack). No

matter who has the ace, take the 50-50
finesse against West's ♥J. Nothing is
better. Certainly stay away from the
clubs! This was the Real Deal:
Dlr: North ♠ J 9 7
Vul: N-S ♥ K 10 9 6
♦98
♣AQ54
♠ 10 4
♠86532
♥AJ842
♥3
♦ 10 7 4
♦632
♣ K 10 2
♣8763
♠AKQ
♥Q75
♦AKQJ5
♣J9
Declarer did actually work on hearts,
but he played them incorrectly - running the ♥10 from dummy - for down
one. The other table played in game, so
this cost 26 IMPs, losing 13 instead of
winning the same number.
◾

Play in the 2019 World Wide Bridge Contest

The 2019 World Wide Bridge Contest will be held at clubs
around the globe on June 7 and June 8. The contest, sponsored
by the World Bridge Federation, is scored across the world to
produce an overall winner. The Friday and Saturday games are
separate events. This year, clubs may hold their game at any time
during the day.
The contest provides a rare opportunity to play in a major event and compete with
players from other countries. Participants receive electronic access to souvenir commentary, and winners ACBL-wide are featured in the Bridge Bulletin.
For more information, contact specialevents@acbl.org or visit ecatsbridge.com.
May 2019 Bridge Bulletin

http://www.larryco.com http://www.ecatsbridge.com

May 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2019