31st August 2022


A defensive problem from the EBU Eastbourne Summer Meeting

 Dealer S
S J632
 Game All
H Q764
    D 42
    C K97
S K4
   
H J53
 
 square
D K10763
   
C 1084
   

South
West
North
East



Pass
1C 1D Double
3D
4H All Pass


You lead the six of diamonds to partner's ace who then cashes the queen of diamonds, declarer follows with the nine and jack.
Partner now switches to the ten of spades won by declarer's ace, plan the defence.



Scroll down for solution.































If you didn't drop the king of spades under the ace at trick three then declarer is home.
He will draw trumps in three rounds, cash three clubs and throw you in with the spade king to give a ruff and discard.


The full deal was


Dealer S
S
J632
   
Game All
H
Q764
   
    D 42
   
    C K97
   
S
K4
    S
Q1098
H
J53
    H
92
D
K10763
    D
AQ85
C
1084
    C
632
    S
A75
   
    H
AK108
   
    D
J9
   
    C
AQJ5
   

 




Thanks to Nicholas Greer for reporting this deal