DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #16

Rubber bridge
South dealer
East-West vulnerable

	NORTH (dummy) ♠ J 10 9 7 2 ♥ K 10 5 ♦ A K 4 ♣ J 2
		EAST (you) ♠ 5 3 ♥ A Q J 6 ♦ 9 8 7 3 ♣ A 5 3

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
1 ♣	Pass	1 ♠	Pass
1 NT	Pass	3 NT	Pass
Pass	Pass

West leads the club nine.

Plan your defense.

Solution

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

A SWITCH IN TIME. West's opening lead is "top of nothing," so a club continuation by East would be futile. On the good chance that West has one entry (probably a spade stopper), a heart return is very promising. Switching to the heart queen or heart jack beats the contract when West has at least three hearts. The best shift is to the heart six, which succeeds when West has the hoped-for entry and as many as two hearts.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1964 National Industrial Recreation Association Bridge Par-Deal Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)

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