Watch the cards, especially partner’s

What makes a good defender at the bridge table? He builds up pictures of the unseen hands, so that he can judge how best to try to defeat the contract.

He does that not only by analyzing the declarer’s line of play, but also -and this is much more important -- by watching his partner’s signals. It is vital to notice that your partner played the three before the two, or vice versa. It may make the difference between defeating a contract and letting it make.

Today’s deal is a relatively simple example.

North should open one club when 3-3 in the minors, despite the disparity in the suit qualities. South’s jump to four spades was slightly aggressive, but he liked his apparent double fit in the black suits. A more scientific bid would have been a game-try of three clubs, which North would have rapidly declined by signing off in three spades.

West leads the heart ace, East dropping the three. What does West know about the heart situation? East could have a singleton, but it is unlikely. If East had two hearts, he would have dropped the higher card, starting an echo. So East has three or four hearts.

If East holds three hearts, cashing the second top heart immediately will establish dummy’s queen, giving South a discard for his diamond loser. As there is nowhere for declarer to dump his second heart loser, it is correct for West to switch to the diamond king at trick two.

This play establishes four tricks for the defense: two hearts, one diamond and one club.

Inspect and interpret your partner’s cards.