BRIDGE

North-South vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
x 6 4 3
u 5 2
v K 9 7 6 3 2
w 6 4
WEST EAST
x K 9 8 2 x A J 7
u 10 8 7 3 u K Q 4
v Q 10 4 v 8
w 5 2 w Q J 9 8 7 3
SOUTH
x Q 10 5
u A J 9 6
v A J 5
w A K 10
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1w Dbl Pass 1v
Pass 1NT Pass 2v
Pass 3NT Pass Pass
Pass
Opening lead: Five of w
The Grosvenor Coup is when a defender deliberately makes an error so egregious that declarer cannot believe it, plays for a different distribution and the trick comes back, usually with interest. It was first written about by Frederick Turner in The Bridge World of June 1976. However, this example dates back to the same magazine's October 1933 issue.
The bidding has been updated. South's sequence showed 18-19 points and North described a weak hand with at least a six-card suit. Expecting the diamond suit to produce five or six tricks, South gambled on three no trump.
West led partner's suit and declarer captured East's jack with the ace. The ace of diamonds was cashed and the jack was led. Declarer intended to run the jack to ensure five tricks in the suit, but West underplayed the ten on the jack! Declarer had second thoughts. He could not believe that West would duck the jack holding the queen as well, so South changed horses and went up with the king, expecting to drop the queen. East's club discard was a mortal blow. Six diamond tricks had shrunk to two, and declarer could come to only six tricks instead of nine!
& copy; 2004 Tribune Media Services