To start the week off on a challenging note, let’s put your defense skills to the test. Today, we will cover a hand where you and your partner must work together to beat a contract of four spades. Are you ready for the challenge?
Let’s take a look at the East and South cards. As the dealer, you hold the East hand with the following cards: Ace of Clubs, King of Diamonds, Queen of Hearts, Jack of Spades, and 10 of Spades. Your partner, sitting in the South position, holds: King of Clubs, Queen of Diamonds, Jack of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, and 9 of Spades. The bidding has gone as follows: North opened with a double, showing a strong hand, your partner responded with a raise to two hearts, and South bid two spades. Now, it’s your turn to make a move.
At this point, you have the strength and shape to compete to three hearts. However, you must also consider your partner’s limited response. With only four hearts and a minimum hand, your partner’s raise to two hearts did not promise much. But, North still had faith in their hand and bid game, hoping their honors were well placed. So, what should you do?
In this situation, it’s crucial to communicate with your partner and assess the situation together. Your partner’s raise to two hearts could mean that they have a long suit in hearts, but it could also mean that they have a strong hand with scattered values. Since you have a strong hand with a five-card heart suit, it’s worth taking a risk and competing to three hearts. This will also give your partner a chance to reassess their hand and make a more informed decision.
Now, let’s see how the play unfolds. West leads the King of Spades, and dummy (South) lays down the following cards: Ace of Spades, King of Hearts, Queen of Spades, 9 of Hearts, and 8 of Hearts. As you can see, South has a strong spade suit and a potential heart suit. Your partner has already shown strength in hearts, so it’s likely that they have some high cards in that suit as well.
You must now plan your defense carefully. You have the Ace of Clubs and King of Diamonds, which are both high cards in their respective suits. However, you also have the Queen of Hearts, which could be a potential loser if South has the Ace or King of Hearts. Therefore, it’s important to play your high cards strategically.
In this situation, it’s best to lead a low club, hoping to establish a trick in that suit. If South has the Ace of Clubs, they will likely win the trick and lead a spade, which you can then win with your Jack. You can then lead a low diamond, forcing South to play their King. This will allow you to win the trick with your Ace and lead another club, setting up a second trick in that suit.
If South does not have the Ace of Clubs, you can still win the trick with your King and lead a low diamond, forcing South to play their King. This will give you the opportunity to win the trick with your Ace and lead another club, setting up a second trick in that suit.
By playing your high cards strategically, you can potentially take two tricks in the club suit and one trick in the diamond suit, which will be enough to defeat the contract of four spades. This is just one example of how effective communication and strategic play can lead to a successful defense.
In conclusion, this hand serves as a reminder that even with limited information, it’s important to communicate with your partner and work together to make the best decisions. By assessing the situation and playing your high cards strategically, you can overcome challenging contracts and come out on top. So, the next time you’re faced with a difficult hand, remember to test your defense skills and work together with your partner to achieve success. Happy playing!
