Defense can be difficult but it's a lot easier if you use the basic
technique of counting. Look at this simple part score contract
that resulted in a top score for declarer.
Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)
Hand #34
Dlr
W
Vul
none
J974
J10
AJ843
J6
KQ1052
Q95
62
K97
83
K732
Q10
A10532
A6
A864
K975
Q84
West
North
East
South
Pass
Pass
Pass
1
1
2
All Pass
BIDDING: This is a simple
auction with North-South ending in a part score.
PLAY: West led the spade
king won by South. As is usually the case, declarer saw that it
would be easier to establish the hand with the long trumps so he fired
back a spade at trick two. West won and played a heart to the
king and ace. Declarer guessed trumps correctly by playing the
top two rounds and exited with a heart to West's queen. Saying
later he was afraid to switch to a club in case South held the ace and
queen, West got out with the heart nine. Declarer trumped this in
dummy, led a diamond to his hand, and played the eight of hearts
discarding a club from dummy. He then conceded a club and scored
+130 for making four. A diamond partial was the popular contract
but most defenders took one spade, one heart, and two clubs for
-110. How should West know he could safely switch to a
club? Declarer had shown up with the ace of spades, the ace of
hearts, the king of diamonds, and a balanced hand. If he had also
held both club honors, he would have opened 1NT.
Note there was nothing difficult about this hand but that's what makes
matchpoints (pairs) a different game from rubber bridge or team
games. Each overtrick or undertrick can be as important as
getting to the right contract. To be successful, you must
remember the auction and count the high cards in declarer's
hand.
