Don’t let partner go wrong
It is often said “If you know the correct contract, bid it!”. This week’s tip is the equivalent for the defence – if one defender knows how to defeat the contract he must ensure that there is no mishap…
North Deals
E-W Vul |
| ♠ |
Q J |
| ♥ |
K 6 5 |
| ♦ |
K J 10 6 4 |
| ♣ |
A K 6 |
|
| ♠ |
K 8 5 3 2 |
| ♥ |
9 |
| ♦ |
2 |
| ♣ |
10 8 7 4 3 2 |
|
|
| ♠ |
A 10 9 4 |
| ♥ |
J 3 |
| ♦ |
A 9 7 5 |
| ♣ |
Q J 5 |
|
| |
| ♠ |
7 6 |
| ♥ |
A Q 10 8 7 4 2 |
| ♦ |
Q 8 3 |
| ♣ |
9 |
|
| West |
North |
East |
South |
| |
1 ♦ |
Pass |
1 ♥ |
| Pass |
2 N |
Pass |
4 ♥ |
| Pass |
Pass |
Pass |
West led ♦ 2, clearly a singleton from East’s perspective (why else would he lead dummy’s bid suit?). So, after winning ♦ A, East returned ♦ 9. When leading a suit for partner to trump, the Suit Preference Signal is used – a high card asks for partner to return the higher ranking of the other suits. West therefore knew his partner held ♠ A (♦ 9 was clearly East’s highest remaining ♦). He trumped ♦ 9 and returned ♠ 2. East won ♠ A and paused to reflect. Normally the lead of a low spot card (such as ♠ 2) asks partner to return that suit but East fell for the temptation to lead another ♦ in the hope West could trump again. Disaster! West had no more trumps so declarer could win ♦ Q, draw East’s trumps and discard his second ♠ on a minor suit winner in dummy. Whose fault?
Perhaps East should have respected West’s ♠ 2 lead which theoretically asked for the ♠ return, but West, alone, knew that the correct defence was to cash two rounds of ♠s. He should switch to ♠ K! He retains the lead to play a second ♠ to East’s ♠ A and down goes the contract!
ANDREW’S TIP: If you know how to defeat a contract, do not give partner the chance to do the wrong thing.
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