Defend This Hand With Me

By Entrée ce Seer

Having entered a tournament in which our hopes were relatively modest we have already exceeded expectations by reaching the quarter-finals where we find ourselves opposed by a formidable squad from the United States.

My partner and West have nothing to say, so I can make the first positive contribution to the auction. I am out of range for 1NT and we play five-card majors, so I am left with an obvious One Diamond or a devious One Club. As we are on VuGraph I resist the temptation to do anything avant-garde. East passes and when partner responds 1NT West comes to life with Two Spades. In my youth the bid I choose now would have had an entirely different meaning but times have changed and my double is for take-out. Partner bids Three Diamonds and despite the state of the match I resist the temptation to bid an undisciplined 3NT. East now enters the fray with Three Spades and that brings the auction to a close.

West	North	East	South
			Pass
Pass	1♦	Pass	1NT
2♠	Dble*	Pass	3♦
Pass	Pass	3♠	All Pass

As I see it I have two possible opening leads, a top spade or a club. Although some innate sixth sense tells me that the latter may be the better choice I place the king of spades on the table and dummy is revealed.

	♠ A K ♥ K J 5 4 ♦ A Q 10 8 ♣ 6 5 4
		♠ Q 10 ♥ Q 10 6 3 ♦ 9 6 4 2 ♣ K J 9

Partner contributes the five of spades and declarer the two. We need four more tricks to defeat the contract, where are they to come from? If we have two diamond tricks then we will need only one trick in hearts. What if anything do I know about declarer's hand? Given the vulnerability I am inclined to place West with six spades and their poor quality probably explains the absence of a weak opening. The rest of his hand is less obvious, but a singleton diamond must be a possibility and he must have some high cards - perhaps the black aces.

I wish I had led a club, as that would have clarified the position in that suit and made my next play easier to justify. With some trepidation I switch to the eight of diamonds. To my relief partner produces the king and switches to the nine of hearts. Declarer plays the two and I win with the king and return the five of hearts, partner following with the seven. Declarer wins with the ace and plays a spade but I win with the ace and play a third heart which partner ruffs. Declarer has the rest, but we have an all too rare plus score. This was the full deal:

Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ A K ♥ K J 5 4 ♦ A Q 10 8 ♣ 6 5 4
♠ J 8 7 4 3 2 ♥ A 8 2 ♦ 5 ♣ A 10 3		♠ Q 10 ♥ Q 10 6 3 ♦ 9 6 4 2 ♣ K J 9
	♠ 9 6 5 ♥ 9 7 ♦ K J 7 3 ♣ Q 8 7 2

It occurred to me later that in situation such as this the defenders have a chance to make a signal in the trump suit. For example, if South had held the ace of hearts on this deal he could play the nine of spades to the first trick. With his actual holding he would have to play his middle card and hope six of spades was easy enough to read.

I reflect sadly that it might have been 20 years ago. (On this deal from the Rosenblum/McConnell no declarer who played in spades was held to eight tricks.)