?
♠ AQJ        ♥ 54        ♦ K108        ♣ QJ1076	n   w           e   s	?
	♠ 105      ♥ Q9832      ♦ 7642      ♣ AK

 

west	north	east	south
1♣	Pass	2NT	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Opening lead: Three of Hearts
North-South Vulnerable

This type of hand comes up routinely in play, and is a good example of several important player skills, among them logical deduction and an understanding of the role that timing (tempo) plays in successful defense. It also illustrates the importance of counting - counting points and counting distribution as well as counting tricks. As experts many times have said:

"Counting is the beginning and not far
from the end of all expert play."

The east-west pair were an experienced partnership playing two-over-one with a strong notrump and inverted minors raises. East's two notrump call was non-forcing and denied a 4-card major. West went on to bid the optimistic game, and south led the 3♥. The first trick continued with the 4♥, J♥, and A♥. East then led a low club toward dummy, and south won his king.
 
What should south's next play be?

♠   ♥   ♦   ♣

Well, a heart continuation from the south hand was out. Partner's play of the jack on the first trick meant that east had specifically the ace-king-ten, for if partner held any of those cards, it rather than the jack would have been played.
 
East's 2NT response limited him to three hearts. So a 2nd heart lead from north would allow the defense to extract east's remaining heart stopper. South needed to put north on lead for that purpose, before east could force out the ♣A.
 
Would a spade shift do it?
 
It would not or should not. The four missing honor cards were diamond ace, queen and jack, and the king of spades, and south knew that east could only hold at most five of the ten high card points those cards represented. South should assume east holds the king of spades for two reasons:

• If holding three small spades, a good east would have probably tried to "right side" notrump by responding 2♣ (inverted) if holding four or more clubs, or 1♦ with less than four clubs.
• On the actual hand, east should decline a spade finesse now and first safeguard the contract. East would next force out south's remaining club honor while hearts were still safe from attack. East could then deal with the spade king to establish and settle for at least one overtrick, collecting at least two hearts, two spades, four clubs and the ace & king of diamonds.

South led the ♦7, declarer played dummy's eight, and the spotlight shifted to north. What should he play holding ♦AJ9?

 

North must put up his ♦A and lead a heart now, while partner still owns A♣. Playing the ♦9 would have been right if south had led a diamond at trick one, but at this point only the A♦ and a heart continuation from north preserves the defense's timing advantage and establishes a 5th defensive trick in time.

There will be more on timing and control
in future Kibitzer columns.

♠   ♥   ♦   ♣