A TOUGH TECHNIQUE TO EXECUTE

Natalie Clifford Barney, a playwright, poet and novelist who lived as an expatriate in Paris, wrote, “Why grab possessions like thieves, or divide them like socialists, when you can ignore them like wise men?” Why follow bridge defense adages like automatons, or ignore them like ostriches, when you can analyze them on a deal by-deal basis like an expert? In today’s deal, how should East defend against three no-trump after his partner leads the spade nine? When East intervened with two spades, South was tempted to double for penalty. That double ought to be for penalty because a pass by South should be forcing, even in Standard American. Why? North’s two-club response promised a rebid, and as a consequence the auction was forcing at least to two no-trump. Against best defense, two spades doubled goes down only one. Not good if North-South can make game, but fine if they cannot. Well, what happens to South in three no-trump? The spotlight is immediately on East. If he puts up the spade queen (third hand high, partner), declarer ducks (plays the spade seven) and the contract makes. But if East plays the 10 (or eight), the contract dies. Declarer must win with the jack and play a club. West takes the first club trick and returns his second spade, setting up East’s suit while he, East, still has the club ace as an entry. When wishing to establish a suit in which the opponents have two tricks, try to make them use up one of those stoppers as quickly as possible. The first round isn’t too early.