How much the game of bridge depends upon good Defense and can be judged from the close results that come about when two equally matched teams play in a World Championship match in which a similar contract bid on both sides, one side goes on to make it while the other is not so lucky.
But as we are aware luck has very little part in a competitive duel and it is more a battle of wits and bridge technique that ultimately forces a positive result for the one who employs every technique of bridge in an effort to make the contract. And of all techniques, deception and guile are important tools that help the declarer in making a headway Nevertheless, alertness in bridge is the key to a sustainable concentration that helps a player in his confidence and sound approach to the game. Lots of players are good in play but just cannot visualise the killing Defense that is called for in a close contract.
Today's problem is that of Defense and deception, of sound technique and alacrity. Two strong teams locked in a World Championship battle at the end of the final session, almost equally placed till this very hand, faced this problem wherein as west you hold the following hand after the bidding has proceeded.
Naturally, you would choose the same opening lead which was the standard lead led by the Italian expert holding west cards - the KC and now you see the following dummy exposed on your left: Declarer wins with the AC in hand as partner plays 3C; when declarer plays to the AS, your partner's 10S drops. At this stage to your surprise and a little apprehension, declarer leads the JC from dummy, on which your partner plays the 4C and surprise, surprise, the declarer instead of ruffing, discards the 6H from hand. In with the QC you need to decide, which card to play. The crucial point of Defense has been reached and suddenly the spotlight is on you. It's a high pressure game with a slam on stake.
What have you decided? Let us first help you with a quick analysis on the declarer's line of play so far. The first question that should strike you immediately is as to why the declarer before drawing trumps, which he could do easily definitely holing a 6 card or more likely a 7 carder spade suit has played in such a fashion, discarding a heart in a hurry? What is he upto? That is the vital question you should pose to yourself and seek a logical answer Well have you found your answer to that one? If not, you would be groping in the dark. But logic dictates only one answer to the declarer's line of play. He fears that signal in discarding from partner, which could help you out in your Defense. Clever on the declarer's part isn't it? So what are the implications? Let us try to picture the declarer's distribution. He has 7 spades which leaves him with 5 cards in the red suits.
They could be divided either 3 hearts + 2 diamonds or 2 hearts and 3 diamonds or again 4 hearts + one diamond or vice versa. Which is more likely in the light of the heart discard he has made? One thing is certain, he cannot be holding 4 hearts and discarding out of it before touching trumps. Similarly if he had 4 diamonds and a singleton heart, he could easily have knocked a trump out before doing so. That leaves us with 2 distributional options, either a 3 carder heart or 3 carder diamond.
A moment's reflection will tell you that if he had a doubleton heart, he would not be messing up like this for without ace of hearts, there would be no point in giving you the club too and going down. So if you thought he would be trying to throw the second heart on the 10C, it is all an illusion for you have the lead before him. With a doubleton heart, his proper play would be to bank on the AH being favourably placed before him. So the heart discard is a red herring deceptively thrown to induce you to lead heart. So on that implication your proper return is a diamond for your partner holds all diamonds and declarer the AQX of hearts and JX of diamonds. Did you get your defence right or wrong?
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South West North East
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1S Pass 2NT Pass
6S ALL PASS
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65 AJ7
J102 K83
874 Q93
KQ987 J1062
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