Defensive problem

Playing in a knockout team final, you pick up Q72   73   Q1085  AQ54, and soon find yourself defending 4 Spades doubled by your LHO.

 

Dealer: N Vul: NS		North
		♠
		♥
		♦
		♣
West				East
♠				♠	8
♥				♥	KJ952
♦				♦	KJ73
♣				♣	J73
		South
		♠	Q72
		♥	73
		♦	Q1085
		♣	AQ54

 

 

West	North	East	South
	1 Club	1 Heart	Double
4 Spades	Pass	Pass	Double
Pass	Pass	Pass

 

The bidding was fast and furious and before you know it, you doubled 4 Spades by West without any clear reason for doing so. (your initial double of 1 spade denied holding 4 spades)

Partner led the diamond 6 (you play third from even and lowest from odd), dummy played low, and your ten forced declarer’s Ace.

Declarer played a heart towards dummy at trick 2, partner flying with the Ace, as you gave count. Partner next exited a low club to your Ace, which alas was ruffed by declarer with the spade 5.

Declarer now played the spade 4 from hand, partner playing the 3, and dummy’s 8 forcing your queen. Now what? The position is as follows, with your side having scored two tricks so far :

 

Dealer: N Vul: NS		North
		♠
		♥
		♦
		♣
West				East
♠				♠	Void
♥				♥	KJ95
♦				♦	KJ7
♣				♣	J7
		South
		♠	72
		♥	3
		♦	1085
		♣	Q54

 

The winning defense can be found by process of elimination. To have any chance your side must take one more trump trick, so partner needs Ax or, less likely, Axx or AJx. Declarer’s shape must be one of 7-2-4-0 or 7-3-3-0 or in the extreme, 6-3-4-0. Partner must have begun with either a singleton or a doubleton diamond. You can also tell from the spots. This gives declarer either A9x or A9xx of diamonds. So there is a slow diamond trick to earn.

But the hearts are a threat to that. 

If declarer has only two hearts you must play back a heart now into the dragon’s teeth. See what happens. Declarer wins the Jack, and will need two diamond pitches from his hand to make the contract. If he leaves the hearts alone, they don’t break, and after knocking out trumps he will be a trick short.

If he ruffs a heart back to his hand to establish the long heart, then when partner gets in with the Ace of trumps he will play the fourth round of hearts immediately. You will ruff, declarer will be forced to over ruff and will now be a trick short. You will eventually score a late diamond trick.

If declarer has three hearts, a heart return from you now will more readily sink the contract. Partner will win the second round of spades and give you a heart ruff for down 1.

Well done for your well thought out heart return, as the full layout was :

 

Dealer: Vul:		North
		♠	A3
		♥	AQ108
		♦	6
		♣	K109862
West				East
♠	KJ109654			♠	8
♥	64			♥	KJ952
♦	A942			♦	KJ73
♣	Void			♣	J73
		South
		♠	Q72
		♥	73
		♦	Q1085
		♣	AQ54