|
|
Only one defence to
beat the contract
|
Dealer North, Love
all
West North East
South
- 1NT Double 2S
End |
EAST
doubled INT for penalties. When South ran to a suit that East had well
held, you might expect him to double again. Knowing, from his partner’s
pass, that there was a weak hand opposite, he decided to pass. West led
a diamond to East’s king and back came a low diamond, attacking
declarer’s trump holding. How would you play the hand? The original
declarer ruffed, crossed to dummy with a club, and led a trump. Not the
best. East rose with the king and played another diamond.  Declarer had
now lost control of the hand. He conceded four trump tricks, one heart
and one diamond, going one down. It seemed a powerful line of defence,
forcing the South hand in diamonds, but in fact it gave declarer a
chance to succeed. After ruffing the second diamond, he could cross to a
club and ruff another diamond. Returning to dummy with another club, he
could ruff dummy’s last diamond. The queen of clubs would stand up and
he could then play a heart to the ace and lead a fourth club. With East
holding the two top trumps, this would promote another trump trick for
South’s Q-J holding. Look back to Trick 2. There is only one, very
surprising, defence to beat the contract. East must switch to the king
of hearts, removing a key entry for the trump reduction!
— David Bird
|
