Bridge column, November 21: A monthly magazine from across the pond
This deal comes from Julian Pottage's monthly defense quiz. To test yourself, look at only the North and East hands and the auction. South is in three diamonds. West leads the heart king. What should East do?
North is a tad too strong to overcall one no-trump, but it is very close. After he doubles and South advances with two diamonds (showing zero to 8 points), it is best to raise to three diamonds, which promises a very strong hand, with perhaps 18 to 20 high-card points, and announces that game is still possible.
The first deduction East should make is that South must have the club ace or king. If West had both of those cards, he would have led the club ace, not the heart king. So West must have the diamond ace.
Given that, East can see four defensive tricks: two hearts, one diamond and one club. The only chance to defeat the contract is to score a second trump trick. East must overtake with his heart ace and return his second heart. Then, when West leads a third heart, East ruffs with the diamond seven. South overruffs and plays a trump, but West wins and leads another heart, which East ruffs with the diamond eight. The club king sets the contract a moment later.
Full details are at www.bridgeshop.com.
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