Dangerous opponents

“EAST is East and West is West, but none of us is gonna meet Mark Twain.” – Archie Bunker in “All in the Family”

When you’re declarer, either East or West may be a “dangerous” opponent – one who can damage you if he gains the lead. His partner will be “safe.” At today’s 3NT, South took the king of hearts, led a club to his ace and returned a second club. When West threw a heart, dummy played the jack.

East took his queen and saw no future in a heart return: He shifted to the deuce of diamonds. Declarer’s eight lost to the nine, a diamond came back to East’s king, and a third diamond found West with the A-J behind South’s Q-10. Down one.

FOUR TRICKS

East was the dangerous opponent. If West gets in, a diamond shift can’t win four fast tricks for the defence no matter how the diamonds lie.

Declarer must let dummy’s jack of clubs ride at Trick Two, making sure East can’t win a club trick. As the cards lie, South makes an overtrick, but his game is assured.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: A6 5 2 A K 65 K J 10 9 4. Your partner opens one heart, you respond two clubs, he bids two diamonds and you try two spades. Partner next bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER

Partner’s bidding suggests six hearts, four diamonds and extra strength. If he had a minimum opening bid, he would have rebid two hearts to limit his strength. Jump to six hearts. Partner should hold a hand no weaker than 3, Q J 10 7 6 4, A K J 3, A 7.

North dealer Both sides vulnerable Opening lead – 10