Even the Best

By: Larry Cohen

Even the Best

This deal was (mis)played by one of the game's greatest declarers. In the 2021 Austin National Swiss Teams, he held:

932
♥ --
♦ K109873
♣ J943.

With both sides vulnerable, he opened a modern aggressive weak two-bid in diamonds. Partner raised to 7! Wow. The Q was led and dummy was awesome:

--
♥ AKQ53
♦ AQJ2
♣ A1087
932
♥ --
♦ K109873
♣ J943

Declarer ruffed in dummy and planned a crossruff. He took three high hearts throwing cubs. Then A, club ruffed high, spade ruff, etc.

What's wrong with that? Hearts were 6-2. Thie was the Real Deal:

Granted, the 6-2 heart break was unlucky, but declarer needn't have risked that bad split. After the spade lead ruffed in dummy, declarer ruffs a (low) heart in hand to ruff a second spade in dummy. Then another small heart is ruffed in hand. Now the final spade is ruffed with dummy's A. Then comes dummy's remaining diamond, overtaken to draw trumps. Then and only then, dummy is entered with the A for the 3 high hearts.

Vul:Both
Dlr: South
--
♥ AKQ53
♦ AQJ2
♣ A1087
QJ865
♥ J4
♦ 64
♣ K652
AK1074
♥ 1098762
♦ 5
♣ Q
932
♥ --
♦ K109873
♣ J943

The spade lead made life easy. With a different lead (like a trump, for example), things are more complicated. So complicated that declarer can't make it!