12th June 2019

A defensive problem from the Hubert Phillips Final.

 Dealer W
S K65
 NS Vul
H AKQ9
    D A72
    C AJ3
S AQJ942
   
H 7632
 
 square
D 654
   
C
   




South
West
North
East

2S Double
Pass
2NT
Pass 3NT
Pass
Pass
Pass



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


 Dealer  E
S K65
   
 NS Vul  H AKQ9
   
    D A72
   
    C AJ3
   
S AQJ942
    S 83
H 7632
    H 1054
D 654
    D KQ83
C
    C K1065
    S 107
   
    H J8
   
    D J109
   
    C Q98742
   

Thanks to John Holland for this deal.