Goren Bridge
Bob Jones
| Dlr: North | ♠ — | |||||||||||||
| Vul: Both | ♥ A K Q 10 | |||||||||||||
| ♦ K 6 3 | ||||||||||||||
| ♣ A Q 10 7 6 2 | ||||||||||||||
| ♠ J 10 7 6 | ♠ K Q 5 4 2 | |||||||||||||
| ♥ J 9 6 2 | ♥ 8 5 4 | |||||||||||||
| ♦ J 5 | ♦ A Q | |||||||||||||
| ♣ 8 5 3 | ♣ K 4 | |||||||||||||
| ♠ A 9 3 | ||||||||||||||
| ♥ 7 3 | ||||||||||||||
| ♦ 10 9 8 7 4 2 | ||||||||||||||
| ♣ J 9 | ||||||||||||||
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*Precision, at least 16 high-card points
**5-7 high-card points
Opening lead: ♠J
Today’s deal is from a high-level team competition not long ago. At the other table, North-South reached 3NT, down three after a spade lead when the club finesse failed. Four of the world’s best players were at this table. The South player has more than a half-dozen world championships to his name. North’s double at his second turn was for takeout. On the auction, the ♠A was quite likely opposite a void and might have little value on offense. Had South chosen to double four spades, a heart or a club lead would have led to down three and a score of plus 800. Even worse, South didn’t find a winning line to bring home his contract.
South won the opening spade lead in hand and immediately passed the ♦7. East won this with the queen, cashed the ♦A, and exited with a high spade. Dummy ruffed, but there were only 10 tricks for declarer and he finished down one. Can you spot a winning line?
South can win the ♠A and ruff a spade in dummy right away. Three top hearts would allow a club discard by South. ♣A and a club ruff allows South to ruff his remaining spade in dummy. Now the lead of the ♦K wins whenever diamonds split 2-2 and there is no club ruff, or 3-1 with a singleton queen or jack. That line of play would have produced 11 tricks. Not plus 800, but not bad with 3NT down three at the other table.