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A Clear Head?

Have you got that? You are defending and it does not look that easy. A glass or two of your favourite alcoholic beverage is not recommended before you embark on a tricky defence. Indeed, that really is the only advice needed before trying to take 5 tricks from defending the hand below. Remember, too, you have a partner with 13 cards and he might just be of some use even if it is hard to imagine how!

 

 

The opposition seem to coast into game. You have a 15-count which does not leave a lot for your partner and dummy has 14 hcp with declarer having at least a 9 count for their two bids. “Any jacks, partner?”

Well, partner has already produced one good card as when you led K.They followed with 10. Declarer allowed you to win that trick. You continue with Q on which South discards 4 (low card encouraging in the suit thrown) and declarer takes A.

At trick 3, West plays a low diamond to dummy’s ace, to be followed by a second diamond to South’s jack (that's right...your partner!), and declarer’s queen…. Plan the defence.

Not hard..but easy to get wrong!

This board is both easy and yet quite hard to defend. I suppose the same could be said about defending many hands. There are ways to let this 3NT contract to make and yet it really is quite easy to defeat.

At the table, North took their eye off the ball and won the K on the second round of the suit before cashing two high spades and exiting their last spade to West who had the simple task of playing two high diamonds before taking the heart finesse to come to 9 tricks. (2 spades, 2 hearts, 4 diamonds and A).

Although the ultimate crime was in playing the fourth round of spades setting up 7 in the West hand, the stress would all have been saved had North just paused for thought on the second round of diamonds and asked themselves how West was going to regain the lead to cash the diamond tricks in the West hand if North did not take the second round of diamonds:

 

North’s problem was always about how they were going to exit safely after winning the K and cashing one high spade. North knew that West had five spades (from South’s discard on the second round of the suit). Although West may have held only 4 diamonds missing 10, the bidding and South’s J did suggest that West held 5 diamonds as well.

Thus, West was either very short in hearts or in clubs. Did North also remember that South’s first heart discard was 4?They might just hold J.

So, North might be able to duck the second round of diamonds, meaning that declarer would be cut off from their own hand. Had North ducked, West, in desperation, may have taken a heart finesse before exiting the third round of diamonds. Now, North could cash two high spades, forcing a heart and club discard from dummy…and North could exit safely in hearts, with K to become the fifth trick for the defence.

Declarer’s down even if…

North had won the second round of diamonds, cashed just one more spade and exited a third diamond. North can discard a spade and a heart as two clubs are thrown from dummy. Even if declarer then gives West a third spade trick (another club thrown from dummy) , K (remember West is very short in hearts or clubs) or a heart are safe exits.

Just retain that clear head and do not panic. West’s overbidding should have rewarded North-South with a small plus score.

Wrong Contract: Right Line?

 

“Thanks, partner” said South on the sight of dummy. The lead was K and South rather wished they were in 3NT. Wishing would not make it so. Therefore, you win A and play a club to the ace (East has singleton queen) and a second club. What then?

Richard Solomon

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