KHATIB KIBITZER
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| west | north | east | south |
| - | - | Pass | 1 |
| 1 |
2♣ | 2 |
3 |
| Pass | 3 |
Pass | 4 |
| All Pass |
Your lead of the five of spades goes to partner's ace, and the nine of spades comes back, declarer playing the jack and then the queen. You win the king and again examine the dummy :
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East wins A ♠ and returns 9 ♠ |
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| J ♠ played at Trick 1 followed by Q ♠ |
Partner is counting on you to find the winning defense. What do you lead at trick three, and why? Names your play before you roll down the page for the complete hand.
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣
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South surely holds the missing club honor for his opening bid, so it's clear that north-south have minor suit tricks to burn. South has advertised at least six hearts and is a heavy favorite for all the missing face cards.
So the logic of the auction and your ability to count convinces you that a 4th defensive trick can only come from the trump suit. With this in mind, you need to make the key play of presenting declarer with the "gift" of a ruff-and-a-sluff..
South can ruff the 3rd spade lead in either hand, but has all side remaining, and no useful discard. And while your play does no immediate harm to south, it "lights the fuse" on your little time bomb by removing partner's last spade.
When south next forces out your ace of trump, you rise and a 4th round of spades, which your partner now trumps with his hoped-for ten of hearts. This classic "uppercut" forces south to overruff, promoting your nine of hearts into the setting trick.
Tick... tick... tick... Boom!
♠ ♥ ♦ ♣