DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #23

Rubber bridge
South dealer
East-West vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
1 ♥	Pass	1 ♠	Pass
3 ♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

West leads the diamond king.

Plan your defense.

Solution

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

KILL THE RUFF. West would lead ace from ace-king doubleton, so East can deduce that declarer has at most two diamonds. Thus, the defense's game must be to prevent a club ruff in dummy. As it may be advantageous for the defense to lead trumps from East's side, East should play the diamond queen at trick one, showing the jack. This will enable West to lead a low diamond safely at trick two, putting East in for a heart lead through declarer's strong holding. Later, East will get on lead with the king of clubs for a second heart lead that will kill the ruff without jeopardizing West's trump trick.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1964 National Intercollegiate Bridge Tournament by William S. Root and Lawrence Rosler.)

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