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Daily Bridge in New Zealand
The Warning Signs.
Sometimes the clues to finding the successful defence are subtle. On other occasions, they ring out very loudly. No matter which suit the defence led on this deal, they should be aware very soon as to what they have to do to defeat the contract.
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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Dummy |
You |
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1 |
1 |
Dbl |
Rdbl |
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2 |
Pass |
4 |
All pass |
The auction was fairly routine. 1
could have been as short as 3 clubs. South’s redouble promised a doubleton spade headed by the ace, king or queen. North led 
5 with A taking the first trick as West followed with 6.
Plan the defence as South. What next?
At the table, South continued with their second spade and West discarded a diamond as North took the trick with K. This was not the best play by the declarer (they should have ruffed and aimed to discard their diamond loser on K) but the diamond continuation by North was not optimum either. Declarer took 
K and played J which South took with their ace to play a third diamond. The defence was now well and truly over:
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West Deals |
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West |
North |
East |
South |
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Dummy |
You |
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1 |
1 |
Dbl |
Rdbl |
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2 |
Pass |
4 |
All pass |
The warning signs were there for South at trick 1 and rang even louder as the play continued. The defenders could see that the declarer could make tricks by ruffing spades and although West might have only 3 clubs, clubs could be ruffed in dummy.
Indeed, it was pretty clear that West did have only 4 hearts and therefore held more than 4 clubs. Have you got one of your trumps on the table at trick 2? If not, one should have been played by North at trick 3 or by South when in with the A.
After the trump switch at trick 2, West would win in dummy to play J. South wins to play a second round of trumps. West takes that in hand and plays K, hoping to discard a diamond though the club break is bad and North ruffs. A disappointed declarer will overruff and cross back to hand with a diamond.
With only one trump left in dummy, the contract must fail. West will score 6 trump tricks and AK. Running 10 losing to J will set up 9 for a trick but there will never be more than 9 tricks.
The defenders just did not see the warning signs and act accordingly. On the play at the table, West managed 8 trump tricks and AK. Disaster for the defence: hopefully not for you.
Richard Solomon
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