X-Clubs Play 14
Declarers and defenders both had the chance to shine on this deal, though I suspect that the best defence and best declarer play was not much often in evidence.
Board 15 from Tuesday 12/04/22
Dealer S NS Vul
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T982
T543
QT632Most Souths started with the singleton heart lead against East’s 4S. Most declarers won this with dummy’s queen and immediately led a trump. Getting the bad news, some allowed South to win the first trump trick, others won the ace and then led another spade towards dummy’s jack, hoping to get away with two spade losers and one club. Pretty unimaginative stuff, but that gave South the opportunity for showing imagination on defence. One South won the trump queen and shifted to the four of clubs. However, South had opened the bidding, so declarer knew that South had the ace, and rose with dummy’s king. Unfortunately for declarer, he hadn’t thought the hand through and had not unblocked the ace of diamonds before doing anything else. South was then able to lead a second club to North’s queen for that hoped for heart ruff and one down.
The declarer who had thought ahead and unblocked the ace of diamonds was well rewarded when South, being a good defender, again found the low club from the ace. Up with the king, discard a club on the diamond king and claim the overtrick!
It paid to be a good declarer but did it pay poor South to be a good defender? Was there any justice? You decide!
