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READY FOR ANYTHING?

Are you? Like when you are a defender? What are you thinking about as North when you see the following dummy:

 

Not an everyday auction. Your partner opened a standard Weak 2 and then after some competitive bidding took the push to 4. East was notably silent but West had not finished yet. You seem to have some defence to West's 5 contract though resisted the temptation to double.

You lead A (surely winning any post-mortem!) on which your partner plays 3 and declarer, West, K. Not feeling inclined to test either minor, especially diamonds, you continue spades with West ruffing and placing J on the table.

Are you ready?

Perhaps our North had been too busy admiring the silent dummy. “Why could not I get a dummy like that from a partner who had said nothing in the auction?”

For whatever reason, North was caught short, unprepared….and you can guess what they did now.

The basic rule about covering an honour is that you would do so if it would or could benefit your side in doing so. It is hard to see how covering could be correct. Perhaps partner held the singleton 10? Well, if that was the case, then, yes, it would be right to cover but that’s a very deep one-eyed view then of the lay-out of the heart suit. The actual lay-out, especially after South’s voluntary 4 bid and West’s many heart bids seems more likely:

 

Beware the opponent who keeps bidding like West. They usually have a surprise somewhere though this time, their own hand has plenty of losers.

With those ominous looking diamonds in dummy, you might have found a club switch at trick 2, though the defence to 5 was all really about the trump play. Our declarer made an overtrick. What would they have done had you North  played low to the J, low in tempo? We will never know. Were you ready for that card? You may wish never to see that jack but when it comes, you should know what you are going to play. Your action may be wrong but even a slow low heart would not be to your advantage.

Should you, North, have bid 5? It’s a contract that can be made especially after A lead but for today, let’s focus on how prepared you are to defend 5.

Are you tempted?

 

It’s Pairs and it’s your bid. Can you? Would you?

Richard Solomon

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