Bridge Play

FOURTH HEART DAILY QUESTION

East dealer

Neither side vulnerable

It’s well known that our partners, unlike ourselves, are imperfect and apt to do the wrong thing all too often. A pragmatic defender “builds a fence” around his partner: He tries to help his partner avoid errors.

In today’s deal, West led the five of hearts against South’s bold 3NT. East took the ace and queen and continued with the jack, and West overtook with his king and cashed the ten.

The defenders then had their book, but West next led ... a club, the suit East had bid. Declarer was able to run both spades and clubs and make his unlikely contract. Where did the defense go wrong?

NORTH AQJ73

West had to overtake the jack of hearts; he couldn’t be sure that East had a fourth heart to lead. But East knew from West’s fourth-highest lead of the five of hearts that West must hold K-10-8-5.

One winning defense: At the third trick, East should build a fence around West by cashing the ace of diamonds. When East leads the jack

of hearts next, the defenders get the five tricks they are due.

You hold: ♠ K84 ♥ 432 ♦ KQ ♣ A Q J 6 4. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. You overcall two clubs, the next player raises to two diamonds and two passes follow. What do you say?

ANSWER: I wouldn’t have been eager to risk two clubs with a five-card suit and a hand full of losers, but now your partner is marked with a few points, otherwise the opponents would still be bidding. You shouldn’t sell out at the two level. Double for takeout.