DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

As we saw yesterday, defenders must distinguish between “active” and “passive” defense: Whether to try for tricks in a hurry or lead something safe and wait for tricks. A defender who judges to get busy may need to lead the correct card in attacking a suit.

Today’s declarer covered with dummy’s king on the first spade (not best). East won and returned a spade, and South ruffed, took the A-K of trumps and started the clubs.

West ruffed the second club and led a diamond, but South took dummy’s ace and finished the clubs, pitching a diamond. He lost one diamond but made game.

East knows from the bidding that South has a singleton spade and that dummy’s clubs may give him diamond discards. So East must get active and attack the diamonds at Trick Two, but he must be careful which diamond he leads.

Leading the deuce won’t work if declarer plays low. East must execute an honor-trapping or “surrounding” play by leading the ten of diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION:

You hold: ♠ K5 ♥ J82 ◆ A93 ♣ K 7 6 5 2. Your partner opens one spade, you bid two clubs, he rebids two spades and you try 2NT. Partner next bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner suggests six spades, four hearts and minimum values. If he had A Q 9 7 6, A 7 6 5, K 2, 8 3 or A Q 9 7 6 2, A K 6 5, K 2, 8, his second bid would have been two hearts. Your decision is close, but bid four spades. Partner will have a good chance if he holds A Q 9 7 6 2, K Q 9 5, 2, 8 3.