COOPERATING WITH YOUR PARTNER

Joseph Priestley, whom many credit as the discoverer of oxygen, said, “The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.”

That might have been the case in the 18th century, but not today. Email and, in particular, texting have greatly increased the amount we communicate.

At the bridge table, defenders have to communicate, but if one defender sends a signal, it will be important for his partner to interpret it correctly. Is it attitude, count or suit-preference?

How should East-West card to defeat four hearts in today’s deal after West leads the diamond queen?

East opened with a textbook weak two-bid, and South bid what he hoped

he could make. Remember that you do not pre-empt against a pre-empt. South’s four hearts was even stronger than three hearts would have been.

East wonders how many diamonds West holds. If the queen is a singleton, East needs to overtake with his king, cash the ace and continue with the diamond 10. West can ruff away South’s jack and hopefully have one more trick somewhere. But that is unlikely. If West has two or three diamonds, the right defense is different.

At trick one, East should encourage with the diamond 10. West knows the diamond count from East’s opening bid. So, in this layout, he will shift to his club king at trick two. South will win with

bridge

dummy’s ace, cross to the spade ace and play trumps from the top. But West will win the third round, put his partner on lead with a diamond and receive a club ruff to defeat the contract.

Copyright United Feature Syndicate (Asia Features)