Move halfway around the table

Two weeks ago, we looked at opening leads. Now let’s move to the other side of the table and study some problems faced by the third hand at trick one. First, the most basic agreement. Suppose partner leads a fourth-highest club two, and dummy has three low clubs. You hold Q-J-3 of clubs. Which club should you play?

There is only one right answer: the jack. When going third hand high, so you might even win the trick, play the bottom of your equal cards. Why? Suppose partner has the king and declarer takes your jack with the ace. If it is beyond your partner to work out that you must have the queen, get a new partner before the next trick begins! Why would declarer win the jack with the ace if he could have taken the trick with the queen?

That isn’t always the end of the defense, though -- as in this deal.

South had a close decision after his partner’s two-spade raise. He knew from West’s double that the opposing high cards would be badly placed, but South understandably felt that he had too much to pass.

West guessed well to lead the club two. (One could imagine a layout where the diamond nine -- top of nothing -- would work out better.) South won East’s jack with the ace and continued with the spade jack. Reading the position well,

West went in with his ace, cashed the club king and continued with a low club to East’s queen. Then East shifted to the heart nine, giving the defenders five tricks: one spade, two hearts and two clubs.