[Phil]

Gnome and I had a long discussion about this hand in yesterday's Nickell / Diamond match. I'm sure Fred would like to forget this hand, but I think its fascinating from a defensive perspective:

Hamman played 3N and Fred and Brad defended.

2H - pass - 3H - 3N
AP

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1. ♥8, T, K, A
2 - 6 - Declarer peels off five clubs.

After following, Fred pitches (in order):♠9, ♥6, ♥5, ♥3.

Brad pitches the ♠2 (UD), ♦10. He also played his clubs 7-6-2.

Declarer pitches the ♦3, and the ♦9

The position is now:

2H - pass - 3H - 3N
AP

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On the last club, Brad pitches the ♥7, Hamman - ♠5 and Fred the ♠6 to which declarer tries a diamond to the King. In desperation, Fred underleads his diamonds but Hamman takes the ♦8 as the 9th trick.

Obviously the 2nd spade pitch was fatal, but is there anything partner could have done to help?

Fred, by the way if you are reading this good luck today against Katz.

[MFA]

A possible play for north is to discard the ♠A. This is safe unless south has discarded his only spade as the very first thing holding 1651 (declarer might then build a spade trick). But that would be absurd.

I realize that south tried to keep the defense alive, should declarer have the ♠K. But perhaps south should have got it right anyway, if we can assume that north sequence of cards is as strong a signal for spades as he could possibly send.

These situations are often much tougher at the table than it might seem with open cards.

GL Fred today!