Two Tournament Hands

Roy Reshef (ROYR) took full advantage of the opponents’ errors one in the bidding and one on the opening lead.

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

West	North	East	South
pass	1	pass	1
pass	3	4 !	4NT (1)
pass	5 (2)	pass	6
pass	pass	dbl (3)	6NT
pass	pass	dbl (4)	all pass
(1) Key Card Blackwood
(2) Zero or three key cards
(3) Lightner double, asking for an unusual opening lead usually the first suit bid by dummy
(4) “Please lead a diamond anyway!”

After his partner, chappi, raised 1 to 3 and North came in with a somewhat eccentric vulnerable 4 bid, Reshef felt that his hand had improved enough to do some slam searching. Looking at four clubs, he felt his partner must be short in that suit. So he asked for key cards. When partner showed three, he bid the heart slam. He knew the opponents might be able to cash two diamonds, but he decided to take the risk.

But East came in with a Lightner double (properly Alerted and explained). This made Reshef think East was void in diamonds, so he ran to 6NT. But East doubled again, hoping his partner would get the message that he still wanted a diamond lead.

Apparently there was a breakdown in communications because West led the J, not a diamond. Reshef gratefully won with his queen. He crossed to dummy’s K and took a finesse to the 9, certain that East held all the remaining clubs. Next he led a heart to dummy and cashed the top spades, pitching two diamonds. He then ran the hearts, and East was pickled on the last one. He had to come down to three cards. He had to keep two clubs, so he discarded his A. But Reshef merely led a diamond, and East was forced to win with his king. He then had to lead away from Q-10 into declarer’s A-J. Plus 1680 for all the matchpoints. That 4 overcall was all declarer needed after West failed to follow through on partner’s double.