Crocodile Coup #07-18

IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Some bridge addicts have been known to dream about hands they may or may not have played. This happened to me last night. Was this a pleasant dream or a nightmare?

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)

Hand #18
Dlr	E
Vul	E/W

	AK42
	976
	A9
	K1053

	Q
	Q105
	Q732
	QJ865

	753
	KJ
	KJ10654
	A7

	J10986
	A8432
	8
	92

West	North	East	South
		1	Pass
2	DBL	3	3
4	Pass	Pass	4
Pass	4	All Pass

BIDDING: The bidding was bold to say the least. In my dream, I was North and made a simple takeout double that seemed to excite South. I was surprised we weren't doubled.

PLAY: West led a diamond and all of a sudden I was sitting in the East chair. Declarer won the ace of diamonds and played the ace of spades. Next there was another diamond from dummy ruffed by South. He then drew trumps followed by the ace of hearts. I was alert and did not want to be end-played so I dropped the king under the ace. I knew that if declarer held the queen of hearts, he would have finessed. South next led a low heart from his hand and I found myself in the West chair. I quickly rose with the queen of hearts to swallow up my partner's jack. I had always wanted an opportunity to use the "crocodile coup" and it finally presented itself. I then cashed the ten of hearts and led the queen of clubs to beat the contract. Note that if I don't rise with the heart queen, my partner is end-played into leading a club or giving a ruff-sluff to declarer.

Just as I was waiting for partner, the opponents, and the many kibitzers to applaud my magnificent defense, I woke up. I knew I had played the hand in the evening session so I found my convention card to see the actual result. Had I really defended so well? The answer staring back at me was that I was North and had doubled 4