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YOUR JOB

You know that old saying about “second player playing low”. Just like every “old saying”, there are times when you these wise sayings do not apply. East really should have been a little more alert on this deal. It’s not as though they had very much to think about, defending 3NT with just one ace.

 

 

West led the 5 which went to East’s 8 and declarer’s 10. With 1NT showing 13-15, it looked like it would be a close battle for 9 tricks. Yet, from East’s point of view, the defence did not seem to have got off to a very good start.

At trick 2, South played a diamond to dummy’s jack and then played Q which also won a trick. Next came the 4 with South’s king winning as East played low in tempo. Three more diamonds followed (South had started with AK532) and when South played a club to the ace and a second club back to their king, the declarer had 9 tricks. When J next went to East’s ace, West gave a rueful frown. The last three tricks were won by West.

 

 

 "Excuses, excuses"

East had been in a dream and had passed up the defence’s only opportunity to beat the contract. They might have wondered about the opening lead, since it is unusual to lead the suit bid by declarer. East made the comment in the post mortem that they wanted to break declarer’s communication by not winning the first spade…or was East really having that quiet doze?

“Cutting communication” may indeed be true sometimes though that A still sat as an easy entry to dummy. That was a red herring, an excuse. When your partner leads from what may well be a long suit, your role, especially when you have little prospect of many tricks yourself, is to help your partner by winning the lead as soon as you can and firing their suit straight back. East was not aware of how important that was in this case.

Note that on any other initial lead except for a small heart, declarer has 9 very easy tricks by simply forcing out the A and scoring 5 diamond, 2 club and at least 2 spade tricks. Even a high heart opening lead does not beat the contract as West has no outside entry after conceding a heart trick. Don’t spoil their great lead by being asleep!

South had to steal one spade trick before the defence scored 4 heart tricks and the A. East allowed that to happen. Remember your role when partner leads from a long suit at trick one. Stay awake and win the lead…quickly!

Richard Solomon

 

 

 

 

 

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