Second Hand Story

By Ron Klinger

Try this problem:

	♠ K J ♥ 9 3 ♦ 8 7 5 4 ♣ Q 10 9 4 2
♠ 10 3 ♥ J 8 7 5 ♦ K 10 9 2 ♣ K J 5

West	North	East	South
			2♣
Pass	2♦	Pass	2NT(i)
Pass	3NT	All Pass

(i) 22-23 balanced

You lead the ♥5 to the nine, ten and queen. South plays ♣A: five - two - three (reverse count), followed by the ♣8. How would you defend? This deal also arose in the pre-tournament practice match between the Seniors teams from Denmark and Australia. The full deal:

	♠ K J ♥ 9 3 ♦ 8 7 5 4 ♣ Q 10 9 4 2
♠ 10 3 ♥ J 8 7 5 ♦ K 10 9 2 ♣ K J 5		♠ 9 8 6 5 2 ♥ 10 4 2 ♦ A 6 3 ♣ 6 3
	♠ A Q 7 4 ♥ A K Q 6 ♦ Q J ♣ A 8 7

The auction at the other table went 2NT - 3NT and both Wests led the ♥5. Both Souths won and played ace and a second club. To defeat 3NT you must rise with the ♣K and switch to the ♦2. If you duck the second club, dummy wins and declarer scampers home with nine tricks.

Counting points, West can tell that partner can have 4 HCP at most. West knows that declarer will always have access to dummy's clubs, since declarer must have either the ♠A or the ♠Q. The only useful 4 HCP that partner can have is the ♦A. End of story.