North-South vulnerable. South deals.

North-South vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x K
u K 10 5 2
v A K Q 7 2
w A J 4
WEST EAST
x Q J 10 6 2 x 9 8 7 4
u A J 4 u 3
v J 8 v 10 6 5 4
w K 8 7 w 10 9 3 2
SOUTH
x A 5 3
u Q 9 8 7 6
v 9 3
w Q 6 5
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
Pass1x Dbl 3x
4u Pass 4NT Pass
5w Pass 5v Pass
6u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Queen of x
This deal is from the Cavendish Invitational Pairs Championship. Declarer was U.S. internationalist Larry Cohen of Boca Raton, Fla.
East's jump to three spades over the takeout double was pre-emptive and was not quite made with a Yarborough -- the hand did contain two tens. South had a choice between a responsive double or a bid of four hearts, and was swayed toward the bid by possession of a fifth heart. Four no trump was Key-Card Blackwood and, by agreement, five clubs promised one or four key cards (the king of trumps is the fifth control). Five diamonds asked about the queen of hearts and six hearts confirmed possession of her majesty while denying a side-suit king.
West led the queen of spades. When dummy appeared, it was obvious to South that East held nothing of value, and the only slight justification for his pre-emptive action was a singleton somewhere, and that was surely in hearts. Suppose that, after winning the first trick with the king of spades, declarer led a heart to the queen. West would win and exit with a diamond, locking declarer on the table. West would score the jack of trumps for the setting trick.
South found a neat solution to the problem. Before touching trumps, he cashed the ace and king of diamonds, removing West's safe exit cards. In with the ace of hearts, West was forced to exit with a black card. A spade would go to the ace, a club would run to the queen. Declarer could then finesse the ten of hearts, draw the outstanding trump and claim the rest of the tricks.
In the trade, this technique of removing a defender's safe exit cards is aptly known as the Dentist's Coup.
& copy; 2005 Tribune Media Services
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