Merrimac or Deschapelles?

Source: IBPA Bulletins

Journalists often need to distinguish the Merrimac Coup from the Deschapelles. In 2001, the Granovetter Newsletter contained this example, reported by Edgar Kaplan in The Bridge World (April, 1994). South plays in 3NT:

	A 10  Q 5 4  A 9 8 6 3 2  A 5
Q 7 3  J 10 2  J 5  J 9 8 7 2		K 6 2  K 9 7 3  K 10 4  10 6 4
	J 9 8 5 4  A 8 6  Q 7  K Q 3

At one table in the 1993 Bermuda Bowl semifinals, West led a low club against 3NT. Declarer won in dummy to play a diamond toward his Q. East went up with the K and returned K, a Merrimac Coup (sacrificing his spade honour to take out dummy’s entry to the long diamond suit). But declarer was able to win A and continue spades to make his game.

At another table in the same event, West, Marty Bergen, found the J lead. Declarer ducked in dummy, won the ace, and passed the 7 to East’s ten.

East, Eric Rodwell, returned the K. A Merrimac Coup? Not at all. This was the Deschapelles Coup, where you sacrifice an honor to create an entry in partner’s hand.

Declarer abandoned diamonds and played on spades for his contract, but Marty Bergen was able to win the queen of spades and continue hearts to defeat the contract.

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