The smallest trump coup

In the early stages of the Vanderbilt the boards are dealt at the table. That can sometimes mean that the precise layout of a particular deal is not accurate down to every spot card, but nevertheless this amusing deal that Nick Nickell reported to me deserves a wider audience.

I’ll present it as a play problem:

North
♠	A K
♥	A 10 5 3
♦	K 6
♣	A K 10 7 5
South
♠	Q J 10 9 7 3
♥	7
♦	A J 9 8 4
♣	J

West leads the queen of hearts.

This is a straightforward hand – as long as you don’t see one of your top tricks ruffed the contract must be cold.

Accordingly Nick won the opening lead in dummy, cashed the king of diamonds and played a diamond to the eight.

West discarded a club!

Nick cashed the ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond, ruffed a heart, ruffed a diamond and cashed the ace of clubs.

His last five cards were sxQJ1097 and he could play any card from dummy, catching East’s sx86542.

As Nick pointed out it was not the first time he had executed a trump coup, but it was certainly the smallest!

Dealer: Vul:		North
		♠	A K
		♥	A 10 5 3
		♦	K 6
		♣	A K 10 7 5
West				East
♠	—			♠	8 6 5 4 2
♥	Q J 9 8 6 4			♥	K 2
♦	7			♦	Q 10 5 3 2
♣	Q 9 8 6 4 2			♣	3
		South
		♠	Q J 10 9 7 3
		♥	7
		♦	A J 9 8 4
		♣	J