[lmilne]

I saw this defensive problem last night playing matchpoints. I was South, and thought that this would certainly test many player's abilities.

You are dealt this hand as East playing in a fairly weak pairs field, with a less experienced partner than you are used to.

Scoring: MP

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You hear the auction start (1♥)-pass-(pass).
Your current partner has insisted upon 15-17 1NT in balancing seat over 1M - it might not be the best theoretical agreement, but it certainly works here. You bid 1NT.
LHO jumps to 3♥, which is passed out (debatable, but I think I would've passed it out as well).

Your partner leads the A♣, and this dummy comes down.

Scoring: MP

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The first trick goes A♣, 4♣, 3♣ (reverse attitude), Q♣.
The second trick goes 7♣, 8♣, K♣, 3♥.
Declarer now leads the 4♦ to the 3 (reverse count), 8, 10.

Plan the defence.

[Hanoi5]

♥A and ♥6.

[lmilne]

Hanoi5, on Nov 26 2009, 07:35 PM, said:

♥A and ♥6.

If you do this, declarer will play a heart back to your King.

[gnasher]

lmilne, on Nov 27 2009, 05:35 AM, said:

If you do this, declarer will play a heart back to your King.

Assuming that declarer had seven hearts, I play back a diamond. Declarer has, at best, KJ QJ10xxxx A9x x. When declarer cashes all his hearts, I keep Q - Q 10, and partner keeps ♠10xx.

[lmilne]

gnasher, on Nov 27 2009, 04:51 AM, said:

lmilne, on Nov 27 2009, 05:35 AM, said:

If you do this, declarer will play a heart back to your King.

Assuming that declarer had seven hearts, I play back a diamond. Declarer has, at best, KJ QJ10xxxx A9x x. When declarer cashes all his hearts, I keep Q - Q 10, and partner keeps ♠10xx.

Who guards the clubs?

[gnasher]

lmilne, on Nov 27 2009, 11:05 PM, said:

Who guards the clubs?

I do. My last three cards are the queen of spades, the queen of diamonds and the ten of clubs.

[lmilne]

gnasher, on Nov 27 2009, 05:55 PM, said:

lmilne, on Nov 27 2009, 11:05 PM, said:

Who guards the clubs?

I do. My last three cards are the queen of spades, the queen of diamonds and the ten of clubs.

Good work!
First thing is lead the two rounds of trump - this is obvious.
Second thing is harder - you have to avoid the trap of a ) leading back the third round of clubs at any point and b ) discarding your club at any point. If you do either of these, the club menace will be 'isolated', setting up some squeeze possibilities...

Scoring: MP

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At my table, East drew the two rounds of trumps, then erred by leading the third round of clubs, which I trumped. I cashed the A♦ then ran the trumps to get to this ending...

Scoring: MP

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... for a sweet double squeeze - the carefully preserved 2♠ was the 13th trick. To make it even more of a shameless brag, East had opted to double the final contract. +530