Column 7D01 (9-11-88) by Richard Pavlicek

Over 40,000 Expected in Continent-wide Game

Participants will receive an attractive booklet containing an analysis of each deal by this writer. Today’s deal is one of the most exciting from last year’s event. Sorry, no previews for this year.

The diagrammed bidding occurred at one table, though I doubt that it was unique (considering 10,000 tables). West opened one club (too strong for one notrump, too weak for two notrump) and East offered a single raise — his seven-card trump support compensated for the lack of high cards. South overcalled in spades and West jumped to three notrump, an unbeatable contract.

South summoned his last ounce of courage and bid four hearts. West doubled, North took a preference, and West doubled again — as I suspect he would until the cows come home.

4 x by South

Both Vul	8 4 2 Q 5 A 9 7 6 5 3 Q 9
A 9 6 A J 10 6 K 10 A K 7 4		7 5 9 8 J 4 J 10 8 6 5 3 2
Lead: K	K Q J 10 3 K 7 4 3 2 Q 8 2 —

West 1 3 NT Dbl Dbl

North Pass Pass 4 All Pass

East 2 Pass Pass

South 2 4 Pass

West led the club king; South ruffed and led the spade king to West’s ace. The club-ace return was ruffed, and South led a low heart to the queen as West ducked. Declarer then led the ace and another diamond to West’s king.

With the diamond suit established, West made a last-ditch effort: ace and another heart; but declarer ruffed with dummy’s eight-spot, drew trumps, and claimed the rest — making four spades. Declarer played well, but he required a defensive error. Did you spot it?

West violated an important principle, one that I continually drum into my students: Holding A-x-x in trumps, the best time to win the ace is on the second round. There are several reasons for this (too many to elaborate here), but the essence is to prevent declarer from controlling the trump suit. Declarer cannot make four spades if West ducks the first spade lead. Try it.