DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #7

North dealer
East-West vulnerable

	NORTH (dummy) ♠ K Q 7 2 ♥ A Q ♦ K Q J 2 ♣ 7 5 3
		EAST (you) ♠ A 6 ♥ 10 6 5 3 ♦ A 6 ♣ K 8 6 4 2

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—		1 NT	Pass
2 ♠	Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the ace of clubs, then the nine of clubs; South follows with the jack and queen.

Plan your defense.

Solution

	NORTH ♠ K Q 7 2 ♥ A Q ♦ K Q J 2 ♣ 7 5 3
WEST ♠ 4 3 ♥ K 9 7 4 2 ♦ 9 8 4 3 ♣ A 9		EAST ♠ A 6 ♥ 10 6 5 3 ♦ A 6 ♣ K 8 6 4 2
	SOUTH ♠ J 10 9 8 5 ♥ J 8 ♦ 10 7 5 ♣ Q J 10

FIRST THINGS FIRST. With only five tricks in sight (two clubs, a club ruff, and two aces), East must prepare for a diamond ruff before giving partner a club ruff. The club ruff is needed as a later entry to West's hand, so that East can get a diamond ruff. Therefore, the correct defense is for East to win the second trick with the king of clubs, and shift to ace and another diamond. Later, East can win the first round of trumps with the ace, give partner a club ruff, and receive a diamond ruff in return for the setting trick. Giving West a club ruff at trick three would prematurely remove the entry needed for the diamond ruff.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1963 National Intercollegiate Bridge Par-Deal Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler)

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