IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Everyone knows defense can be difficult.  To be successful, you must look at all of the possibilities.  It also helps to allow your partner to cooperate.

Scoring:  Matchpoints (Pairs)
 
Hand #11
Dlr   N
Vul BOTH
S 94
H 97543
D AKQ3
C J3
S 107
H 82
D 10654
C K8765
    
S AKJ852
H 6
D 972
C A94

S Q63
H AKQJ10
D J8
C Q102
West North
 East
 South

Pass
  1S 2H
   Pass    2S    Pass
     4H
All Pass   
     
   

BIDDING:  After hearing South overcall, North bid 2S to show an invitational hand in support of hearts.  South counted his 15 high card points and jumped to game.  As you can see, he held a lot of "soft" queens and jacks.

PLAY:  West led the ten of spades and East quickly won the top two tricks.  Knowing declarer held the spade queen, East led a third round hoping West could overruff dummy.  South was able to win the trick, draw trumps, and discard two clubs on dummy's good diamonds.  If East had just played the ace of clubs at trick three, West would have encouraged with the eight and the defense would have collected the first four tricks.  If West did not hold the club king and could overruff dummy, he would have discouraged clubs and East could lead a third spade.

South should not accept the invitation to game.  His honor holding outside of the heart suit was poor and he should not count the spade queen as it will rarely be of help to him.  

Copyright ©2007 Larry Matheny.