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Eugene Hung, who has edited all of my bridge software, supplied this deal from a regional.
Playing in a knockout event, South held this hand with both sides vulnerable:
♠ A Q 10 4
♥ A J 9 8 3
♦ K 4 3
♣ 5
South opened 1♥ and his partner raised to 2♥. Right-hand opponent overcalled 3♦. What should South do now?
Vulnerable at IMPs, you should try hard for games. Though your ♦K is well‑placed, you don’t have enough to insist on game, but you should want
to invite game. A 3♥ call here should just be competing for the partscore. When the opponents overcall in the suit directly below your suit, it is
popular to use double as an artificial game try. The double says nothing about diamonds. In this auction, you should double to show a “3½ heart bid.” This is called a “maximal” or
“game‑try” double. Partner accepts and bids 4♥. The ♦J is led and you see:
♠ K 8 7 3
♥ Q 10 6 2
♦ 8 6 2
♣ A 3
♠ A Q 10 4
♥ A J 9 8 3
♦ K 4 3
♣ 5
East wins the ♦A and plays the ♦Q. You try the ♦K, but West ruffs and returns a spade to East’s jack and your ace.
Now what? You have to lose another diamond trick, so the contract appears to hinge on the ♥K. Should you finesse East for it?
It is true that East made a vulnerable overcall, but he doesn’t have to hold the ♥K. If you finesse, you are playing him to have started with ♥K x or ♥K x x. That would leave West with one or two low hearts, along with his singleton diamond.
It seems more likely that East, who already has six diamonds, and must have some clubs, is short in hearts. Accordingly, it must be better to lay down the ♥A.
It is not that you are trying to drop an offside singleton ♥K (if singleton onside, nothing matters). Even if West remains with ♥K x, you still will make your contract. Do you see why?
Let’s presume West started with♥K x x. He has already ruffed once. When you lay down the♥ A, his only remaining heart will be the king. You can then take the ♣A and ruff a club. Then, run the spades and exit in hearts. Presuming West has the ♥K, he will be endplayed. He has no more diamonds, and will have to give you a ruff‑sluff to throw your losing diamond.
This was the full deal:
| Dlr: South | ♠ K 8 7 3 | |
| Vul: Both | ♥ Q 10 6 2 | |
| ♦ 8 6 2 | ||
| ♣ A 3 | ||
| ♠ 9 6 5 2 | ♠ J | |
| ♥ K 7 | ♥ 5 4 | |
| ♦ J | ♦ A Q 10 9 7 5 | |
| ♣ Q J 8 7 6 4 | ♣ K 10 9 2 | |
| ♠ A Q 10 4 | ||
| ♥ A J 9 8 3 | ||
| ♦ K 4 3 | ||
| ♣ 5 |
As you can see, the ♥K falls under your ♥A, so you claim 10 tricks and plus 620. Even if West had one more low heart, you would have still gotten home. The only way you would have failed is if East started with ♥K x or ♥K x x.
Because East was marked with diamond length, the odds were much better for you to play hearts as recommended.
At the table, declarer finessed in hearts and West exited safely in a black suit for down one.