Too Many Trumps

Dlr:
South
Vul:
N-S
North
♠ 9 8 7 6
K 10 9 7
A K 7 3
♣ 3
South
♠ A 10 3 2
A Q J
8 6 4
♣ K Q 7
West North East South
1NT
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠
Pass 4♠ Pass Pass
Dbl All Pass

On this deal from a regional tournament, Lowell Andrews of Huntington Beach CA demonstrated to an opponent that too many trumps can sometimes be hazardous to the defense. Andrews was South.

West, emboldened by his partner’s double of Stayman and looking at a fairly stout trump holding, could not resist taking a piece of Andrews’ spade game, a move he ultimately regretted.

West started with the ♣J to East’s ace. A club was returned to Andrews’ king. Andrews pitched diamonds from dummy on the ♣K and ♣Q, the played a diamond to dummy’s ace.

He cashed the K, then play a heart to his hand. Three rounds of hearts stood up, leaving this position:

Dlr:
Vul:
North
♠ 9 8 7 6
K
♣-
West
♠ K Q J 5 4
♣ –
East
♠ –
Q 10
♣ 9 8 6
South
♠ A 10 3 2
8
♣ –

Andrews led the 8 and West was in a bad way. If he ruffed low, dummy would overruff, so West ruffed with the ♠J. Playing another high trump was clearly futile, so West got out with a low spade, which dummy won with the 6. Now the 7 was played around to West’s queen. West had the ♠K 5, Andrews the ♠A 10.

Plus 790 was good for all the matchpoints.

The full deal:

Dlr:
Vul:
North
♠ 9 8 7 6
K 10 9 7
A K 7 3
♣ 3
West
♠ K Q J 5 4
8 5 4
J 2
♣ J 10 5
East
♠ —
6 3 2
Q 10 9 5
♣ A 9 8 6 4 2
South
♠ A 10 3 2
A Q J
8 6 4
♣ K Q 7