Bridge - The Scotsman 04/07/2012

Normally when declarer runs a long trump suit he hopes for a discarding error. As a defender you cannot see what declarer has, but you may infer his distribution.

South opened a strong two, and North’s single raise showed some values. After a few cuebids South reached an optimistic 6H. West led the king of spades and declarer ducked in case there was a squeeze. He won the second spade, drew trump in two rounds, and continued hearts, discarding two clubs from dummy.

West had to make four discards, East five. East began by throwing his last spade to give partner the count in that suit, then he threw two diamonds and a club. West threw two spades, then a diamond. What should his fourth discard be? He had to keep a spade to beat dummy’s nine, so which minor should he weaken? Consider declarer’s distribution: South has turned up with two spades and six hearts, therefore five cards in the minors. He has cuebid both minor aces, and presumably has the king of diamonds to make up his strong opener. If he had a third, losing, diamond he would surely ruff it in dummy, therefore he has only two diamonds, and three clubs. West must hang on to his CJx in case South has the ten of clubs: if he bares the jack declarer will play a club to the king and finesse the ten to make his slam. Following the same logic, East throws a third diamond and the slam fails.