Carpe Diem
By Andy Hung

The critical point is the point in the play where a defensive card will break a contract or allow it to make.

Will you be ready to seize the day?

Vubridge Expert Kit
Learn to Think like an Expert

Bidding.

After North Passes as dealer, East opens 1♥.

West’s 1♠ response is raised to 2♠ and West has to decide how high to bid.

With an opening bid himself West follows the sound principle that an opening bid facing an opening bid should play in a game. Accordingly, he goes on to 4â™ .

Play.

Partner, leads the ♣K against 4♠ and we contemplate a minimum dummy – 12 points and a 5∙4∙2∙2 pattern.

Declarer calls for the ♣A at trick one and immediately follows that with the ♦Q. Now, there is no one at our shoulder, telling us that this is a crucial moment and that this is the make-or-break point of this deal. Nevertheless, this is it – our play here is crucial. Should we follow low with the ♦2 or should we play our ♦K?

Partner's ♣K lead indicates that he also holds the ♣Q. Declarer’s play strongly suggests he is trying to take three fast Diamond winners, hoping to discard a Club on the third Diamond. Should we play small at trick two this is precisely what would happen. Dummy's ♦Q would win the trick, and now West would play a Diamond to the Jack, followed by the ♦A discarding the ♣J. After that all would be sweetness and light – for East-West.

Playing the King on dummy's ♦Q (covering an honor with an honor) is the essential defensive play in defeating 4♠. The trick takes out two of declarer’s honors for one of ours. Sure, the Jack is now top dog, but that is not enough for any discards; no third Diamond winner exists to dump a Club from dummy.

Declarer changes tack by switching his attention to Hearts, but he is defeated by the unlucky Spade layout. We gain the lead with the ♥A and promptly return a Club to partner's Queen. With these two tricks in the bag, partner just sits back in his chair and awaits his two natural trump winners to fall into his lap.

Declarer plays the hand correctly by cashing the â™ A and subsequently leading up to the Queen. This would allow him one loser in all cases other than when North holds the â™ K J. When we show out on the second Spade declarer says something rude and admits defeat. North cashes his two trump tricks and a grumpy declarer claims the rest.

We take two Spades, a Heart and a Club for one off.