CONTRACT BRIDGE No help for declarer

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32439, 28 October 1970, Page 19

CONTRACT BRIDGE No help for declarer

(Contributed by

J.R.W.)

There is no doubt about it, defence is the hardest part of this game, and there is also little doubt that many players make it even harder than it already is. Take for instance the common situation where partner calls a suit, the opponents finish in no-trumps and one has to find an opening lead. Unless there is a very strong case for anything different, there are two very good reasons to start with partner’s suit. The first is purely psychological. If one does not and it was the best defence, no amount of logic or argument will ever convince partner you were right. On the other hand if one does lead his suit and it was the wrong defence, the alibi is impeccable: “Shouldn’t bid suits if you don’t want them led. partner.” The second reason is the far simpler one that more often than not it is the best defence to lead partner’s suit. On this hand, West tried to master-mind the situation with disastrous re-

After East had opened one heart, South’s over-call of; one no-trump showed 16 to 18 points so North wasted no time in raising to three. West dithered for a while before leading the 10 of spades. On this the declarer played small from dummy, allowing East to win with the king. The jack of hearts Was won by South’s queen, and a club was led to North’s queen and East’s ace. The latter continued with the king of hearts but the declarer was in the harbour. He won the ace of hearts, three more clubs, two diamonds and two spades to add' to the one trick he had) already taken, for nine in all' and his contract.

It is, however, a different story if West starts off with a heart. South takes the king with his ace to attack clubs. East wins with the ace and' continues hearts. The de-l elater’s queen wins and hej can at this point count eight] tricks—two in hearts, three in clubs, the ace of spades and two diamonds. In search of his ninth trick he leads the queen of spades and plays low from dummy in the hope that West has the king. But East takes this trick and cashes three more

hearts to put the contract one down. PARSIMONY

On the above hand of course East had a good suit. On many other deals, the suit may not be quite so good, but against that the fate of the contract lies veiy much in the balance and it is important that the defenders should give nothing away

East opened one heart, South over-called one, notrump and North raised to three. After some thought West led his partner’s suit, and the declarer took East’s jack with his ace. He then set about the spades, cashing the ace first before leading a small one to the jack in the hope that West had the queen. But East won the trick and found the devastating switch to a small diamond. Not being inspired the declarer followed with the nine. After winning with the jack. West returned the suit to his partner’s king. The ace dropped the queen and then East made the five which by now was the sole remaining diamond. Eventually he also made the king

of clubs to put the contract two down.

West mopped his brow as he worked out what would have happened had he followed his first impulse and chosen for his opening lead not a diamond but the 10 of spades. This is covered by dummy’s jack, the queen and the ace. A second spade is led and when West plays low the seven wins. The king of hearts is cashed and the four led from dummy. East plays low and the declarer can play the 10 with full confidence, for after his opening bid of one heart East is marked with the jack. Another spade is led to North’s eight and the king is the sixth trick for the declarer. The ace of clubs provides the entry to South’s hand for him to make the queen and 10 of hearts and his contract. This time the defenders have given the declarer assistance in two ways, first in disclosing the lie of the hearts by the opening bid which could not be helped, and second by disclosing the lie of the spade suit from the opening lead which was unnecessary. The moral is plain —never do unto other declarers what you would wish them to do unto you.