DEFENSIVE PROBLEM #24

Rubber bridge
East dealer
East-West vulnerable

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

SOUTH	WEST	NORTH	EAST
—	—	—	Pass
Pass	1 ♥	Double	Pass
2 ♠	Pass	4 ♠	(All Pass)

Diamond king, seven, deuce, five.

Plan your defense.

Solution

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

ON THE HORIZON. On the bidding, West cannot hope for East to show up with as much as the spade king and club queen, though he can reasonably hope for one of those cards. If declarer does not have two diamond losers, there is no hope for the defense. Therefore, West should continue with the ace of diamonds at trick two, which will amount to the setting trick when East has the king of spades. When East has the queen of clubs, more defensive effort is necessary. West should continue with a third round of diamonds, intending to lead a fourth round of the suit when on lead with the ace of spades. This will allow East to ruff declarer's potential second diamond winner, preventing the disposal of declarer's losing club.

(Based on a deal and analysis from the 1965 National Intercollegiate Bridge Tournament by William S. Root, Lawrence Rosler and Jeff Rubens.)

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