TIP OF THE MONTH

Keep One Step Ahead of the Defence

Heather Dhondy

Dealer: East. Game All   K Q   9 2   J 9 7 5 4   K Q 7 2   A 10 9 6 5 4   A 7 5   Q   A 8 3

Playing teams, the auction proceeds:

West	North	East	South
		2 *	2
Pass	3	Pass	4
End
* Weak

THE BIDDING

What would you respond with the North cards to South’s 2 overcall?

This is a tricky problem. You are too strong to pass, but what is your bid? To raise spades would imply at least three card support, but 3 is not ideal because of the suit quality, and is misleading about where your strength lies.

Another possibility is 3 – what does that mean? There is no point in using it to show a sound raise to 3: you can bid 3 to show that since you would not want to make a pre-emptive raise; we know that East is not going to bid again if you pass. Therefore it makes sense for it to show either a hand too good to bid 4, or a hand looking for 3NT if partner has a stopper.

Your hand is not strong enough for this, and your spades are, perhaps, your biggest asset so I think, despite only holding a doubleton, that 3 is the most descriptive bid. When all is said and done, are you really thinking about playing in any denomination other than spades? Fortunately South’s raise to four includes a six-card suit on this occasion so you have quite a comfortable eight-card fit.

THE PLAY

Against 4, West leads the K, East following with the 6. How do you plan the play as South? You have one heart and one diamond to lose, so you can afford a trump loser as well. Therefore it looks as though your best line will be to ruff a heart in dummy. With the 10-9 as security, you should still be able to restrict your trump losers to one.

Keeping this plan in mind, you duck the opening trick, and win the heart continuation. You then ruff your heart on which West discards a diamond, and cash a trump, and you will see both opponents follow low. Now you cross back to the A and cash the A on which you throw a diamond from dummy while East discards a heart.

This is the position reached:

—   —   J 9 7 5   K Q 7   10 9 6 5   —   Q   8 3

Can you spot the danger? You know that East must hold one of the top diamond honours, firstly from the bidding since a vulnerable weak two is not likely to have been made on a queen-high suit with nothing outside, and secondly from the play, where West would have led a top diamond holding both the ace and king. Therefore if you now play the ten of spades to drive out the jack, you will leave yourself open to a trump promotion. West can play a diamond to East and a heart will come through, promoting West’s eight of trumps.

What can you do to avoid this trap?

You can guarantee your contract whenever West has two or more clubs remaining. Simply play on clubs now, and whether or not the fourth club is a winner, you throw your diamond on it. It is not a winner on the actual layout, so in effect you are making a loser-on-loser play to sever the defence’s communications.

This was the full deal:

K Q   9 2   J 9 7 5 4   K Q 7 2     J 8 7 3   K 8   K 10 8   J 7 6   2   Q J 10 6 4 3   A 6 3 2   J 5     A 10 9 6 5 4   A 7 5   Q   A 8 3

Heather’s Hints

1. When partner overcalls and you hold a strong doubleton in his suit, it is better to raise than introduce a weak five-card minor of your own.

2. Try to stay one step ahead of the defence. Consider what could happen if you lose the lead, and thereby avoid falling into any trap.