DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #17

Rubber bridge
West dealer
Neither side vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	Pass	1 ♦	1 ♥
1 ♠	2 ♥	2 ♠	3 ♥
Pass	Pass	3 ♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

West leads the heart four.

Plan your defense.

Solution

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

MAKE IT EASY. Upon winning the ace of hearts, East can see that the contract can be set if West has the ace of clubs. However, because West will have no late entry to his club winner, the defense must get its three club tricks with two top cards and a ruff. To indicate a doubleton club, East should shift to the queen of clubs, reversing the normal order of play. This will help alert West to the need to overtake on the second round. (West might overtake if East played king then queen, on the theory that East should play low the second time if he had another club, but it always helps to make it easier for partner. Cashing the ace of spades before playing clubs also might draw attention to the need to take three fast tricks.)

(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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