Kantar for the Defense is an advanced defensive play quiz.
Problem of November, 1995, by Edwin B. Kantar
Are you into the "deep" game? I think this defensive
problem qualifies for that description.
IMPs; South dealer; neither side vul.
NORTH (dummy)
5 A Q J 9 8 5 9 5 3 K J 10
WEST (you) Q 9 3 2 K 7 K 6 2 A 7 3 2
SOUTH
WEST
NORTH
EAST
4
Pass
Pass
Pass
Opening lead: King of hearts
On the first two tricks, declarer pitches the seven and
ten of diamonds (nice lead!). Then, he plays ace-king-jack of spades
to your queen, partner following to the first spade and then discarding
a low diamond and a low heart; dummy discards two hearts.
What now?
Solution below.
* * *
NORTH
5 A Q J 9 8 5 9 7 3 K J 10
WEST Q 9 3 2 K 7 K 6 2 A 7 3 2
EAST 4 10 6 4 3 2 A Q J 8 4 Q 4
SOUTH A K J 10 8 7 6 -- 10 5 9 8 6 5
It's easy enough to see that if you lead a low club and declarer
plays low from dummy partner can win and return a heart to promote
your nine of spades into the setting trick. So what's the problem?
The problem is that from partner's point of view you might
not have the nine of spades. You might have a lower spade and the
nine of clubs. In that case, partner's best defense would be
to return a club, not a heart. (In that layout, if partner plays a
heart, declarer ruffs high, draws the last trump and forces his way
to dummy with a club. The jack of hearts provides a discard for declarer's
long club. However, if partner returns a club you can play ace and
another club, and eventually score the club nine or get to ruff the
heart jack.)
The real issue is how you can tell partner which black nine
you have. In other words, the club you lead must deny the nine. The
correct club to lead is the seven. With ace-nine-eight-seven, you
would return the nine; from ace-nine-seven-small, you should return
a low club, encouraging a club return. Therefore, your lead of the
seven denies the nine. If declarer plays low, partner should win and
return a heart.