What might have been

by Phillip Alder

Board 14 of round 10 maybe gave three declarers a chance to make four hearts doubled.

This is what they saw (rotated for convenience):

Dealer South. None Vul.

            Dummy
            ♠ Q 9 7 6 2
            ♥ 4 3 2
            ♦ 2
            ♣ J 9 6 3

            Declarer
            ♠ A 5 4
            ♥ A J 10 9 8 7 5
            ♦ A 3
            ♣ 7

West overcalls two notrump to show a minor two-suiter, then doubles to indicate a strong hand. East, after some anguished moments, passes.

West leads the ace of clubs, then tries to cash the king of clubs. After ruffing, how would you continue?

The deal was bid 66 times. Five hearts doubled was the contract 18 times, five hearts escaped undoubled once, and four hearts doubled was played three times. (At almost every other table, five diamonds doubled or undoubled was the spot, although once it was five clubs doubled, and twice six diamonds doubled.)

This was the full deal:

Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ Q 9 7 6 2 ♥ 4 3 2 ♦ 2 ♣ J 9 6 3
♠ 8 ♥ K Q ♦ K J 8 5 4 ♣ A K Q 5 4		♠ K J 10 3 ♥ 6 ♦ Q 10 9 7 6 ♣ 10 8 2
	♠ A 5 4 ♥ A J 10 9 8 7 5 ♦ A 3 ♣ 7

After ruffing the second club, cash the heart ace and diamond ace, ruff your diamond in the dummy, and trump another club in your hand. That gives this position:

	♠ Q 9 7 6 2 ♥ 4 ♦ ♣ J
♠ 8 ♥ K ♦ K J 8 ♣ Q 5		♠ K J 10 3 ♥ ♦ Q 10 9 ♣
	♠ A 5 4 ♥ J 10 9 8 ♦ ♣

Lead a low spade, covering West's eight with dummy's nine (or, if he plays the ten or jack, cover with dummy's queen). East is caught.