Daily Bridge Club

Passive defense wins

In today’s deal (reported by Barry Rigal) from the Life Master Pairs in Las Vegas, South’s bold overcall kept East-West from finding their spade fit.

North’s raise to three clubs looks odd to me and could have turned a plus into a minus, but West led the queen and a second spade. Declarer, Glenn Milgrim, ruffed, passed the queen of trumps, led a trump to the ace and ruffed a spade. He took the K-A of hearts, ruffed dummy’s last spade and led the king of diamonds. West could win and cash his high trump, but then he had to lead a diamond from his jack. Making three.

END PLAY

It was suggested that East would prevail by overtaking the queen of spades to shift to a diamond, saving West from the end play. In fact, South fails if East leads anything but a spade at Trick Two. South will lack the entries to ruff all of dummy’s spades, and West will retain an exit card at the end.

The winning defense is a subtle example of not helping declarer, in any way, when dummy is flat and weak.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 9753 ♥ A 8 7 2 ♦ 10 7 2 ♣ A 7. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart, he bids two clubs and you try two diamonds. Partner then bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This case is closer than it may look. Your two diamonds suggested at most nine points, but partner bid again anyway. He has a strong hand short in spades, and you have two aces. To jump to four diamonds would be reasonable. Partner may hold 4, K Q 6, A K 9 8 4, K J 5 4. West dealer N-S vulnerable