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Posted on Mon, Apr 15, 2013 : 5 a.m.

Bridge column, April 15: For good defense, points and plays

By Philip Adler

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The late Sen. Arlen Specter said, "If you are going to have to play defense all the time, you cannot have the kind of ingenuity, assertiveness, independence and intelligence that have made our country strong."

That is not the case at the bridge table. In a pair tournament (duplicate), if your defense is excellent because you are ingenious and intelligent, you should want to defend all of the time. Then you will get one top after another.

This week we will look at one of the most important and taxing aspects of defense -- tracking the high-card points to place the unseen key cards.

In this deal, East has to find the winning defense. South is in three no-trump. West leads the heart nine. Declarer wins with his king and runs the spade queen. What should East do after taking this trick with his king?

East should check the high-card points. South showed 15 to 17 points, North tabled 12, and East has eight. That leaves three to five for West. What high card might he hold? What did East learn from West's opening lead?

A nine is always top of nothing. So, West has no points in the majors. He must have a minor-suit ace. And since the diamond ace will not be good enough to defeat the contract, East should assume his partner has the club ace.

East should shift to the club three, the low card saying that he has honors in the suit and is trying to win tricks in this suit. West should win with his ace and return the club six, giving the defenders five tricks.

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