IMPROVE YOUR PLAY
with Larry Matheny

Here's a hand where I was lazy on defense and paid the price.  Take a look.

Scoring: Matchpoints (Pairs)
Hand #45
Dlr   E
Vul N/S
S K4
H 1075
D 965
C AJ542
S 9753
H J98
D J10
C K763
    
S J1062
H 2
D AKQ83
C Q109

S AQ8
H AKQ643
D 742
C 8
West North
 East
 South


1D 1H
   Pass
    2H    Pass
     4H
   Pass
    Pass
    Pass
     
                                                                        
BIDDING:  South had a nice hand but his jump to game was an overbid.  A game try would have done justice to his hand and North would have accepted.

PLAY:  I was sitting East and my partner led my suit.  After winning the first three diamonds I failed to give the hand enough thought and exited with a trump.  Declarer had no trouble pulling trumps and quickly claimed ten tricks.  My thought process should have been "South's jump to game marks him with most if not all of the missing honors.  Therefore, my only hope of defeating the contract is a fourth round of diamonds in an attempt to promote the jack (or less likely the queen) of hearts".  As you can see declarer could no longer make the hand.  Down one would have been a tie for top.

Defense can be difficult but it's easier if you put in the effort.

Copyright ©2009 Larry Matheny