This is a hand from a Swiss teams in the Seattle area.
You are South and hold A9, AKxxxx, xxx, xx. You hear opponents having a canape auction to 4S, LHO declaring and showing 4+ spades and equal or longer diamonds.
Partner leads the HT and you see
The lead is either a singleton or doubleton. You have 3 tricks (SA and HAK).
If the lead is a singleton you can easily get a heart ruff for the setting trick.
If the lead is not a singleton, where is your fourth trick coming from? You have one easy option: partner has the Qx of spades and can promote his Q on the third round of hearts.
What if partner does not have the Qx of spades? Is there any other option? Partner could have the KQ of clubs, in which case you need to shift to clubs before your SA is knocked out. [Partner might have led the CK, yes.]
So the defense is really simple, win the first trick, cash the second heart to confirm is partner has a singleton (in which case, give a ruff immediately).
If partner has a doubleton heart, shift to a club. When you come in with the spade A, you can decide whether to play partner for the Qx of spades or the club. [Could partner figure out your problem and play the club in such a way as to make it clearer to you?]
But in your excitement in setting up a potential club trick, you win the first trick, and shift to a club immediately without cashing the second heart!
Declarer plays the CQ from hand, low from partner and J from dummy. Next declarer plays a diamond to dummy and cashes the CA throwing a heart! [You are too shocked to notice partner's cards, if you wanted to know...]
Now declarer plays a low spade. You go up with the A and cash your second heart, declarer playing the Q. Oops. Partner had a singleton heart all along, and you have botched up a sure shot defense.
Could partner still have the SQ which you can promote? Unlikely, declarer played a low spade instead of the J or T and you hold the 9, so looks like declarer probably has the KQ of spades.
But all is not lost.
Do you want to know what partner played on the second heart? Partner played a diamond.
Looks like declarer started with a 4=3=5=1 hand. He played a D to the A already, and partner threw a diamond on the second heart.
Give partner a diamond ruff! You partner defended accurately (not covering the CQ and throwing a diamond), giving you a chance to recover.
Don't let your previous mistake stop you from recovering. Alas, that is easier said than done.
You are South and hold A9, AKxxxx, xxx, xx. You hear opponents having a canape auction to 4S, LHO declaring and showing 4+ spades and equal or longer diamonds.
Partner leads the HT and you see
| IMPS E/W | ||
| East ♠ JTxxx ♥ Jxx ♦ Axx ♣ AJ | ||
| South ♠ A9 ♥ AKxxxx ♦ xxx ♣ xx |
The lead is either a singleton or doubleton. You have 3 tricks (SA and HAK).
If the lead is a singleton you can easily get a heart ruff for the setting trick.
If the lead is not a singleton, where is your fourth trick coming from? You have one easy option: partner has the Qx of spades and can promote his Q on the third round of hearts.
What if partner does not have the Qx of spades? Is there any other option? Partner could have the KQ of clubs, in which case you need to shift to clubs before your SA is knocked out. [Partner might have led the CK, yes.]
So the defense is really simple, win the first trick, cash the second heart to confirm is partner has a singleton (in which case, give a ruff immediately).
If partner has a doubleton heart, shift to a club. When you come in with the spade A, you can decide whether to play partner for the Qx of spades or the club. [Could partner figure out your problem and play the club in such a way as to make it clearer to you?]
But in your excitement in setting up a potential club trick, you win the first trick, and shift to a club immediately without cashing the second heart!
Declarer plays the CQ from hand, low from partner and J from dummy. Next declarer plays a diamond to dummy and cashes the CA throwing a heart! [You are too shocked to notice partner's cards, if you wanted to know...]
Now declarer plays a low spade. You go up with the A and cash your second heart, declarer playing the Q. Oops. Partner had a singleton heart all along, and you have botched up a sure shot defense.
Could partner still have the SQ which you can promote? Unlikely, declarer played a low spade instead of the J or T and you hold the 9, so looks like declarer probably has the KQ of spades.
But all is not lost.
Do you want to know what partner played on the second heart? Partner played a diamond.
Looks like declarer started with a 4=3=5=1 hand. He played a D to the A already, and partner threw a diamond on the second heart.
Give partner a diamond ruff! You partner defended accurately (not covering the CQ and throwing a diamond), giving you a chance to recover.
Don't let your previous mistake stop you from recovering. Alas, that is easier said than done.
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