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MAKING IT TOUGHER

That’s what you are there for as a defender. Some contracts cannot be beaten. Some contracts cannot be made. There’s unlucky leads, misplays and misdefences all amounting to some contracts making when they should not and vice versa. Finally, there are a host of deals where the defence can give the declarer a tough time to make what otherwise is a very simple contract. Take this:

 

 

As West, you seem to have a choice of opening lead between the unbid suit, hearts, or top of your club sequence. We will come back to the heart lead shortly.

What Happened

West led J won in dummy. Declarer led the 10 to West’s king. 10 return was again won in dummy with South taking a comfortable 4 diamond, 3 club and 2 spade tricks without any stress. Eventually, he scored a heart for an overtrick. And the defence? Basically, they had followed suit but little more. Take a look at trick 2.

Cutting Communications

West knew clubs were not breaking and although there would be some wonderful news for declarer in spades, it may not be an easy ride. One thing good defenders should do if possible is make it awkward for declarer to move between the two hands. In short, with only 2 diamonds on the table, why not try a smooth duck of the 10? Did you read that word “smooth”? Put yourself in South’s position. Surely you would repeat the diamond finesse? A second diamond goes to the jack and your king.

You exit 10. Suddenly, the “walk in the park” has become a nightmare. The only way back to the diamonds is by playing a heart…and which one does South play after East plays low? Most declarers feel “Murphy’s Law” will apply to them! If South goes up with the king, then it will all be plain sailing. However, if they play low to the jack, it gets tough, very tough for declarer.

West’s best exit is a second heart to the ace with East exiting a spade. The defence has three red suit tricks and even though West has 862 and dummy  Q73, the defence can trap declarer in dummy for 2 losers in the black suits.

What a difference if you ducked that 10. South would have had to do really well to make as opposed to scoring 9 easy tricks.

Back to the initial heart lead

Back then to the heart lead, a small heart, which is really a better lead for the defence. East wins the ace and plays a second heart. If the queen scores, West exits a club and out comes the 10, ducked. Declarer can make 9 tricks by means of the spade finesse (three club tricks and 2 in each other suit) but if they repeat the diamond finesse (wouldn’t you?), they will be really struggling.

So, which category of hand is the above? Make it as tough as you can for declarer and even if the contract eventually makes, (Deep Finesse says it should.), then you had done all you could.

Richard Solomon

 

 

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