28th October 2020

A defensive problem from a Lancashire online league match.

 Dealer N
S A8652
 Game All 
H J6
    D K8
    C AK108
S KJ103
   
H A73
 
 square
D QJ7
   
C 542
   




South
West
North
East


1S Pass
1NT Pass Pass Pass

You lead the diamond queen covered by the king, partner wins the ace, declarer plays the three.  Partner returns the nine of diamonds, five, seven and eight.  Partner now plays the four of diamonds, ten from declarer and you win with the jack, dummy discarding the two of spades.
What now?


Solution


John Holland plonked down (clicked on) the king of spades.  This struck gold when declarer had a singleton queen of spades.  Declarer won the spade ace and played a heart which John won and played a spade to partner's seven.  The defence came to three diamonds, three spades and a heart for one off.

The full deal was

 Dealer  N
S A8652
   
 Game All  H J6
   
    D K8
   
    C AK108
   
S KJ103
    S 974
H A73
    H 842
D QJ7
    D A942
C 542
    C J63
    S Q
   
    H KQ1095
   
    D 10653
   
    C Q97
   

In the other room North played in three notrump after the auction below.  East chose to lead a heart and Jeff Smith quickly wrapped up nine tricks for a 12 imp gain, making three more tricks in notrumps than in the other room.


South
West
North
East


1S Pass
2H Pass 2NT Pass
3NT Pass Pass Pass