On The Defence

Hi all

I have a small defensive problem for you. It occurred at Dennis’ table last Tuesday at BC Star.

East
A85
Q43
742
KQT4

LHO opens 1, a Bergen 3 on your right and left decides he has enough for game. Partner starts with the 2 (odd leads) and dummy hits the table. You take the trick with your Ace and return the King of .

North
73
AJT2
AT93
953
East
A85
Q43
742
KQT4

Declarer takes your King with the Ace and plays the Queen for partner’s King. The from partner is ruffed and declarer throws the remaining from dummy on his Jack of . Two top follow (partner following once) and declarer doesn’t look happy seeing he has a trump loser, but puts you in with a third round.

South Dealer
– Vul
North
T
AT93
East
742
QT

Declarer skillfully removed all the black suits. It looks as if you have to open up or give a ruff and discard.

Let’s analyze.

Declarer surely doesn’t have King-Queen in , else he would have claimed. What about distribution? This one is easy, declarer has a 3-5-4-1.

The picture is complete. A ruff and discard cannot help declarer, for he can discard just one . He will still be left with a loser in the suit or a complete guess about the Queen. Let declarer solve his own problem, maybe he’ll go wrong…

Full layout:

South Dealer
– Vul
North
73
AJT2
AT93
953
West
K9642
5
Q5
J8762
East
A85
Q43
742
KQT4
South
QJT
K9876
KJ86
A