Defending 4H

[DWM]

[hv=d=e&v=e&s=saqt5h8dk95c97532]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

 

Bidding

 

(1♣) - 1♠ - (2♥) - 2♠

(3♥) -P - (4♥)

 

first trick

 

2♠ -4-A-3

 

What do you play trick 2?

 

Dummy is

 

J94

KT76

J73

AQJ

[suokko]

Question is what our partner leads from xx2, xxx2, Kx2 and Kxx2?

 

What declare has to hold to make after 2 rounds of spades when we need some active defense? maybe xx AQJxxxx Qx Kx or xx AQJxx x KTxxx? But for any normal hand it looks like enough just to cash ♠ and then wait for other tricks that belong to us. But there is many hands where spade loser could be discarded on ♣ unless cashed by defense.

 

So my defense would just lead small ♠ back so we can cash spades and wait for setting trick from somewhere in red suits.

[kenberg]

The 5 of spades back, assuming current count. Partner will know that you have four spades. If he holds the ace of diamonds, he will cash it nd return a spade. If he simply returns a spade at trick 3 I will return a club, hoping for a ruff.

 

 

This line is not without risk. Perhaps declarer is 3-6-3-1 including the ace of diamonds. He has 9 tricks on top and if I play possum after the three spade tricks It is possible that declarer will try for his tenth trick in clubs via a ruffing finesse. I doubt it though. Partner will show up with the king of spades and not that much else, declarer will place him with the club for his raise.

 

So the plan is: At trick 2, I put partner in and simultaneously show my spade count. His next action will determine mine.

[655321]

What are your agreements about raising partner and opening leads?

 

For me, partner won't have 4 spades, and he would lead the 2 from 3 small or from Kxx. I would have played the ♠10 at trick 1

[DWM]

It was a random P.

 

Probaly a bit of mistake in the question, I forgot about taking a spade first.

 

Was not sure if it would be better to try and push the club suit and hope for a club fin or open up the diamonds.

[kenberg]

My error, I had mentally placed the king of diamonds on the board when I was replying earlier. I agree completely with what Suokko said.

 

A few details:

 

 

Partner has the king of spades or we are not likely to be beating this. We could well have three spade tricks. Declarer, on the auction, might well have been expecting spade shortage in the dummy. Spade tricks might go away if declarer has xx in clubs, so I will play as if three tricks in spades are possible. I need to decide who should be on lead at T4, assuming the three rounds of spades hold up.

 

So I am trying for three spade tricks first. If the third spade gets ruffed, I don't have to worry about what to lead a t trick 4. If I assume the third spade holds up I need to decide who should be on lead. I doubt that there is a club ruff available if the third spade holds up since declarer has long hearts. Possible, but I doubt it.

 

If declarer has six hearts, two small clubs and the ace of diamonds he has ten tricks. Nothing we can do. If he has five hearts, two small clubs then he will make it if he has the Q of diamonds and go down if he does not. Out of our control. Suppose he has a stiff club and AQxx of diamonds. If I lead a diamond at trick 3 he lets it ride to the jack, finesses the Q, cashes the ace, ruffs a diamond. So a diamond from my side courts disaster.

 

Seems best to let partner be on lead at trick 4. He needs to lead a club even if holding the king. If declarer finesses the club Q, cashes the ace of clubs pitching a diamond, and the runs five heart tricks then, with three tricks left to play, partner holds (if we are to beat it) Tx of diamonds with his club king, dummy has a club and J7 of diamonds, I hold K95 of diamonds, declare AQx, where x is less than the 9. We get a trick.

 

Mostly we are not beating this but if we get three spade tricks and if declarer only has one club finesse available then we might if diamonds are right and no one leads one.

 

Thinking just a little more about it, if declarer holds xxx/ AQxxxx/AQxx/void then that club return from partner will not be a big hit, a heart would be better. But that's his problem!