September 2019 - 55

Intermediate Players

The Real Deal
BY LARRY COHEN

larryco.com

But what if they are 4-1?
This deal was played in 2018 in
China during the World Youth Team
championships. South held:
♠A J 4 ♥K Q 10 3 ♦9 2 ♣K Q 5 3.
His partner opened 1♦ and he
responded 1♥, raised to 4♥. Some
of my newer students mistakenly
think of that as a "close-out" bid, but
it is anything but. Opener is showing
about 19-20 points in support. One
young player now used Roman key
card Blackwood and, finding three key
cards and one king, he (the optimism of
youth) bid 7♥. The ♠7 was led.
Dlr: North
Vul: N-S

♠63
♥A942
♦AKQ7
♣AJ2
♠AJ4
♥ K Q 10 3
♦92
♣KQ53

What is the plan? If trumps are 3-2,
the contract is a claim. Draw trump
and throw a spade from dummy on
declarer's fourth club. Dummy is now
high (other than the ♦7, which gets
ruffed with declarer's fourth heart).
So, what if hearts are 4-1? This is
such a common question, that it is the
title of the article.
If the ♥J drops singleton, things
are easier, but what if an opponent has
♥J x x x? If it is West, declarer can lay
down the ♥K Q, getting the news, and
take a marked finesse against West's
jack. If East has ♥J x x x, the ♥K and

then ♥A reveal the break and allow for
a marked finesse. So, which shall it be?
That depends on the plan for the
deal. If indeed hearts are 4-1, where
will declarer want to take a ruff ? The
only way to ruff a spade in dummy is
to draw trump first and then run clubs.
However, if trumps are 4-1, that is unlikely to work. On the other hand, a ruff
in hand of the ♦7 can be taken without
having to draw trump first. Therein
lies the answer. Declarer should win
the ♠A and cash the ♥K. When everyone follows low, he should next play
the ♥Q. Why? If trumps are 3-2, he
can claim (draw the last trump). But, if
RHO shows out, he is still alive. If LHO
shows out, he was never realistically
making the contract - unless he had
hand records. Next comes the ♦A K
and then the ♦7 ruffed with the ♥10.
If this lives, declarer now plays a heart
to the 9 for the marked finesse and
then the ♥A to claim 13 tricks.
Confession: On the Real Deal, hearts
were 3-2, but for my readers, this is the
Real Deal to be concerned about:

♠Q987
♥J865
♦J43
♣97

♠63
♥A942
♦AKQ7
♣AJ2

East hands for the
September Bidding Box

Bid these hands with a partner.
The West hands are on pg. 53. The
North-South players are silent unless
otherwise noted. Scores on pgs. 37-39.
Problem 1. North deals. None vul.
North opens 1NT (15-17). If East
doubles, South redoubles for rescue,
and North bids 2♦.
♠Q 6 ♥A Q J 9 8 3 ♦Q 10 ♣A K 4
Problem 2. East deals. N-S vul.
♠A ♥A 8 7 3 2 ♦A K J 10 8 4 ♣3
Problem 3. South deals. E-W vul.
South opens 1♠.
♠A Q ♥9 3 ♦Q 10 6 5 4 ♣A K J 7
Problem 4. West deals. Both vul.
♠A 6 4 3 ♥K Q 9 ♦10 7 5 2 ♣Q 7
Problem 5. North deals. N-S vul.
♠A J 6 5 ♥8 ♦K 6 ♣Q J 9 8 5 2
Problem 6. East deals. E-W vul.
♠8 5 ♥A 9 6 2 ♦A Q J 6 4 3 ♣5

♠ K 10 5 2
♥7
♦ 10 8 6 5
♣ 10 8 6 4

♠AJ4
♥ K Q 10 3
♦92
♣KQ53

Problem 7. South deals. Both vul.
♠K ♥A J 10 7 5 ♦K 5 ♣K 9 8 6 2
Problem 8. West deals. None vul.
♠10 8 4 ♥K J 7 3 2 ♦K 10 8 5 ♣A
◾
September 2019 Bridge Bulletin

55
http://www.larryco.com
September 2019

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