IMPROVE YOUR PLAY

with Larry Matheny

 

Perhaps the most important part of good defense is partnership trust.  When your partner doesn’t want you to continue a suit, he probably has a good reason. 

 

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)

#11-41

Dlr

N

Vul

None

S

73

H

A1094

D

K52

C

AK42

S

AK106

H

62

D

987643

C

J

/images/pad.bmp

S

J852

H

53

D

A

C

Q109765

 

S

Q94

H

KQJ87

D

QJ10

C

83

West

North

East

South

 

1C

   Pass

1H

Pass

2H

 Pass

4H

Pass

Pass

Pass

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BIDDING:  South’s jump to game closed the auction. 

 

PLAY: West led the ace of spades and East discouraged with the deuce.  Looking at dummy, West suspected his partner was not asking for a club shift so West led the nine of diamonds.  East won the ace and returned a low spade.  West won and a second diamond allowed East to ruff for the setting trick. 

 

At most tables West ignored the deuce of spades at trick one and continued with the king.  Defense is difficult but one way to simplify it is to carefully watch and understand each card your partner plays.

 

 

Copyright ©2011 Larry Matheny