A defensive problem
from the Hubert Phillips Final.
After you open with a
weak two in spades your left hand opponent doubles, partner passes and
your right hand opponent bids a lebensohl two notrumps. Left hand
opponent raises this to game and you lead the spade queen to the five,
eight and seven. What do you play at trick two?
Solution
Continuing spades
will only work if declarer has a singleton, but that is unlikely.
If declarer is going to make this contract he will need some tricks in
one of the minors. It is more likely that he can make it if he
has something in clubs, so switching to a diamond is your best
bet. When East wins this (declarer dropping the jack) he must
return a spade for West to play another diamond through. This was
the successful defence found at the table by Jeff
Smith (West) and John Holland (East).
The full deal was
Thanks to John Holland for this deal. |