Monday, November 9, 2009

It's an illusion

After South opened 2NT and was raised to 3NT, West led the J on this layout:

A Q 7
10 6 4
9 7 5 4
9 5 4
==
K 5 4
A K Q
A J 10
A 10 7 3

Declarer won with the queen, and led a diamond and finessed the jack. This lost to the K, and West led another spade. South won in dummy, and finessed again by leading the 5 to the 10. Do you agree with this?

The 10 lost to the Q (West had falsecarded). West cleared spades, and there was no longer any way to take nine tricks.

Here are all four hands:

A Q 7
10 6 4
9 7 5 4
9 5 4
J 10 9 8 3 6 2
9 J 8 7 5 3 2
K Q 8 6 3 2
Q 8 2 K J 6
K 5 4
A K Q
A J 10
A 10 7 3

UPDATE:
The question was: Do you agree with declarer's play? The answer is no. It's true that you take nine tricks if the diamond honors are divided. But the double hook in diamonds is an illusion. There is a better play. Do you see where declarer went wrong?

Here's a better plan. Win the spade lead with the king. Play the A, followed by the J. Win the spade return in dummy (a shift to another suit by the defense is no better), and lead to the 10. This makes dummy's 9 good. That's three spades, three hearts, two diamonds and one club.

6 comments:

  1. I love the Beale St sign in your header!

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  2. Can finessing twice ever be right even at matchpoints? I am not seeing a 3rd entry to the board to cash the nine of diamonds even if the diamonds honors are split and they break 3-3.

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  3. @jusdealem: thanks

    @Audrey: you're right. Declarer had a blind spot, just like I did. I'll amment the text,t hanks.

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  4. In matchpoints or IMPS I think you should win trick 1 in dummy and play diamond to J/T.

    Win the spade return in hand and cash the diamond A.

    This picks up diamond Hx doubleton with RHO for an overtrick and you are safe for 9 tricks.

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  5. @anonymous: an improvement, well done.

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  6. I hate this stuff. I'm for a designated declarer in bridge. Once the bidding's over let the right-brained guy take over.

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