Pull The Double – Lots Of Trouble

This hand was submitted by Malcolm Finn (embee3), who was disappointed that his partner got cold feet and pulled the double of 3NT.

Dlr: North Vul: None

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

Here is the way the bidding actually went:

West	North	East	South
	1	Dbl	Redbl
Pass	2	2	3
Pass	3NT	Dbl	Pass
Pass	4	All Pass

This contract went down one trick, losing one spade, two hearts and a club. But look at what would happen if North does not pull the double. Several scenarios are possible.

Most likely East will lead the K. Declarer’s only real choice is to duck. If East continues spades, declarer takes his ace, discarding the A from dummy. Now he has nine tricks – six diamonds, two hearts and a spade.

If East switches to a heart, declarer allows that to run to his queen, cashes the A discarding the A and winds up with 12 tricks.

If East switches to a diamond, declarer wins and leads the Q and the defense is fixed. If East switches to any other suit, declarer is home. So eventually East-West have to take their two club tricks and put declarer back in dummy with a club. After he cashes his good clubs, declarer leads the J. East can’t afford to take this – any return gives declarer his game. But declarer leads the A and another heart, and East is forced to lead a diamond or a spade, giving declarer the rest of the tricks.