Answer to

Hand of the week commencing Sunday 23rd April 2006  

 

West leads §6 and as East you duck the first trick. Declarer plays a Diamond and you take dummy’s Queen with your Ace plan the rest of your defence.

 

Dealer West

ª

 J 10 6 3

 

 

 

Love All

©

 J 9 8 3

 

 

 

 

¨

 Q 9 8

 

 

 

 

§

 10 3

 

 

 

 

 

N

 

 

ª

 K 5 4

 

 

ª

 9 8 2

©

 K 7 6 4

 

W                          E

©

 10 5 2

¨

 10 7 6

 

 

¨

 A 3

§

 8 6 4

 

 

§

 A Q 9 7 2

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

ª

 A Q 7

 

 

 

 

©

 A Q

 

 

 

 

¨

 K J 5 4 2

 

 

 

 

§

 K J 5

 

 

 

N

E

S

W

 

 

 

NO

NO

1§

DBL

NO

1ª

NO

2NT

NO

3NT

NO

NO

NO

 

The bidding has shown that declarer has a huge balance hand in excess of 18 points (otherwise he would have overcalled 1NT immediately. Partner’s lead suggests either top of nothing or maybe Middle from 3 card suit.

As a defender, you must count your winners and potential ones  and here you count just 2 Aces. Hopefully partner will turn up with one. Surely, declarer has not got all the remaining 26 points that you cannot see. Your only hope is that partner has 5/6 points. However if you wish to keep communications open with partner so that you can eventually enjoy 2 established club winners you must play back a low club at trick 3 retaining your Ace and Queen. Declarer wins and then attempts to set up His Heart suit but West gets in and still has a vital club left to feed East.

 

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