Try to temper thine impatience

There are times when, as a defender, you should strain to get the lead as quickly as possible. Perhaps you have the setting tricks to cash, or you want to return partner’s lead so that he can defeat the contract. However, there are other deals on which you shouldn’t be in such a hurry to win a trick.

The bidding was straightforward, South’s opening bid showing 20, 21 or a so-so 22 points.

West led the spade queen, and South won immediately with the king. Realizing he needed to generate some club tricks, declarer led the club five to dummy’s 10. East grabbed the trick with the queen and flipped his second spade onto the table. However, declarer won with the ace and played his remaining club to dummy’s jack and East’s ace. Back came a heart. Declarer won in hand, played a diamond to dummy’s queen and cashed the club

king. When both opponents followed, South claimed 10 tricks.

East was in too much of a hurry to return his second spade. He should have realized that that suit could wait. It was more important to try to annul that club suit. If East had just played his club nine at trick two, the contract would have died.

Declarer would have returned to hand and played his second club, presumably finessing dummy’s jack. But now East would win with the queen, killing the club suit. Declarer wouldn’t have the two dummy entries he needed, one to drive out the club ace and the second to cash the established winners.

The hold-up play is a common declarer-play tool, but it is valuable for the defenders too.