Down the Garden Path

Tony Reus led declarer down the garden path on this deal. He used Tim Seres- Bols Tip of “Giving Them Enough Rope” by playing the card he would be known to hold earlier than expected.

North  10 9  10 9 6  7 6 2  K J 6 3 2
West  A K 4 2  A Q 4 3  3  10 9 7 4	East  5 3  8 7 5 2  A K Q 5  Q 8 5
South  Q J 8 7 6  K J  J 10 9 8 4  A

West	North	East	South
—	—	—	1
Dbl	pass	3	4
4	all pass

Left to his own devices declarer would make his game. He would take the opening diamond lead, cash two more diamonds, then take the successful heart finesse. After cashing the trump ace and the top spades, he would crossruff the rest, North winning his good trump any time he pleased. Declarer would lose only two clubs and a trump.

However, when declarer led a trump, Tony followed with the king! This was just enough to convince declarer that trumps were breaking 4-1, so declarer changed tack. He cashed the top spades, ruffed a spade and his other two high diamonds.

When he then tried a club, Tony won and played yet another diamond. When North ruffed with the 9 and declarer didn’t overruff, North realized that Tony must have the J. So he cashed the K and led another club that Tony ruffed with the Jack. Back came another diamond for North to ruff. By the time the smoke cleared poor declarer had suffered a two-trick defeat.