IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

It's exciting when both declarer and the defenders are pushed to their limits to succeed.  Here is a hand where good defense prevailed.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)
 
Hand #39
Dlr   S
Vul E/W
S KQ7
H A
D K93
C KQJ964
S 1052
H 10873
D J2
C A532
    
S A984
H 9
D A107654
C 107

S J63
H KQJ6542
D Q8
C 8
West North
 East
 South



3H
    Pass     4H All Pass  

BIDDING:  South had a normal preempt and North had enough high cards to expect the game to make.

PLAY:  At most tables South was successful in 4H losing only three aces.  However, at this table West decided to lead his jack of diamonds and things got really interesting.  East encouraged as declarer won the queen.  Next South led a heart to dummy's ace and tried to get back to his hand with a small spade toward his jack but East was alert and rose with the ace.  East had a count on declarer's hand and led a low club to West's ace.  Now a second diamond to the ace followed by a third diamond forced declarer to ruff with a high trump.  The heart ten had been promoted and the defense now had a trump trick to go with their three aces.  This hand was not going to succeed against best defense. 

The old "second hand low" rule did not apply here.  If East ducked the first spade, declarer would win the jack and draw trumps.

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.