The Defense Rests In New Orleans by Barnet Shenkin prev/next

Good defensive hands are not easily found. Here are a couple from the Nationals in New Orleans. See how you makeout.

1) You East hold A K 6 5
4
K Q 10 8 5
9 6 4

The bidding with none vul

West	North	East	South
		1	1
2*	X	2	4
5	Pass	Pass	5
X	Pass	Pass	Pass

* INV+ in diamonds

Partner leads the 2 and dummy tables
10 9 8 7 4 3
Q 7 4
6
Q 8 3

You win the K with declarer playing the Queen. It is your play. This is the final round of the Blue Ribbon pairs and you are having a decent game.

2) You hold 10
Q 8 4 3
K 8 7 6 2
K Q 5

The opposition are vul and the bidding

West	North	East	South
		1NT*	2**
X***	Pass	2	2
4	4	Pass	Pass

* 12-14

** 1 suiter

*** cards

You lead the 3 and see the dummy J 8 6
7 5
A 9 4
9 8 7 6 3

Partner wins the Ace and returns the 2. Declarer leads the 4. Not being sure of the defense you play the 5 and partner wins the J. Partner now plays a low spade. Declarer plays low from hand and wins the Jack in dummy. He now plays a second club and you win this with partner playing low and declarer the 10.

You have 3 tricks in how do you continue?

1) The full hand:

	N 10 9 8 7 4 3 Q 7 5 6 Q 8 3
W 2 J 10 8 A J 7 4 3 K 10 7 5		E A K 6 5 4 K Q 10 8 5 9 6 4
	S Q J A K 9 6 3 2 9 2 A J 2

If you won the spade and shifted to a low club what can declarer do ? In practice he ran the club to the King and partner now led a low diamond to your Queen. The A and another promoted a trump trick for down 3 +500 and a near top My partner Mark Feldman found this good play.

2) The full hand:

	N J 8 6 7 5 A 9 4 9 8 7 6 3
W 10 Q 8 4 3 K 8 7 6 2 K Q 5		E K 7 2 A 10 9 2 J 5 3 A J 2
	S A Q 9 5 4 3 K J 6 Q 10 10 2

You know declarer is trying to build his club suit. The first reaction is to win the second club and switch a diamond to take out the entry from the dummy . However if you think deeper you will ask yourself why partner has not returned a diamond? The answer must be that partners holding is either weak or dangerous. If your partner holds the K declarer cannot set up clubs and take the finnesse against the trump king .You must play a heart and force the dummy. Now declarer can set up his clubs but partner can ruff his club winner low and you will score the setting trick with a diamond..

Partner did well here. If he had played a heart back forcing dummy at trick 4 declarer would lead the J and now partner must not cover or declarer gets the extra entry required to establish clubs. Also If partner should win the second club to play a heart the contract will make as you will be squeezed in the minors.

If you found the play of the heart you can congratulate yourself as some of the worlds finest did not when shown this hand in problem form. You will win your KO match by the margin of 1 IMP.