The tougher side of the table

We all know “going at it hammer and tongs” — and the person with the hammer always wins!

Bridge deals are like that, the one with the hammer winning either the contract-fulfilling or setting trick. Usually it is the declarer, but this week we will see how the defense can wield the big stick.

The most important element of defense is signaling. The defenders must pass information to each other by the relative ranks of the cards played. Today’s deal features a lesser-known signal.

North’s use of Stayman with such a strong doubleton is debatable.

Especially when there isn’t a 4-4 spade fit, only the defenders benefit from the Stayman inquiry.

Against three no-trump, West leads the heart four. After dummy covers with the six, most defenders sitting East, playing third hand high, put on the eight — but that is wrong! The eight isn’t going to be critical to the play of this suit. It will not affect the number of tricks won by either side. When you cannot play a nine or higher, you should give count. Here,

East should play the heart three at trick one, showing an odd number of hearts.

Declarer wins with the jack, enters dummy with a spade and takes a losing diamond finesse. Knowing from the Stayman inquiry that South cannot have four hearts, West cashes the heart ace, confident that South’s king will drop. Three more heart tricks defeat the contract.

If East plays the heart eight at trick one, showing a doubleton, West must shift to a club at trick four, hoping that East gains the lead quickly enough to push his remaining heart through South’s king.