An interesting Defence

Colin and I have been playing quite well in the last few days and everything seems simple and easy.  But there always is the one that got away.  I think Colin did quite well on this hand.  I thought too much.  But perhaps either of us could have….

White on red I held this hand in fourth seat.

♠ A9632

♥ Q9

◊ KJ

♣ A732

It all started off with a complex auction,

Linda	North	Colin	South
	pass	pass	pass
1♠	1NT*	dbl	pass
pass	2♥	dbl	all pass

North made a strange bid especially at the vulnerability.  1NT was natural showing a near opening bid.  Let’s call it suicide notrump.  I have a flat weak hand and I want to bid opposite a passed partner at unfavourable vulnerability.  Okay then.

Colin’s dbl was penalty and in this case showed a decent pass.  I would guess about 10 points.  My pass set up a forcing pass situation.  Colin’s double of 2♥ suggested he did not have a clear penalty double (he would pass) but he was prepared to play there (or he would bid).  I passed with some trepidation.

Colin led the ♠J and this was dummy:

♠ Q874

♥ A107

◊ 104

♣ 10865

I ducked the spade and declarer won the ♠K and play a heart to dummies ♥7 and my ♥9.   Since I could overruff the dummy I played the king and jack of diamonds.  Colin won the ◊A and switched to a spade.  I won the ♠A and this was the situation.

 

	Dummy
	♠ Q8
	♥ A10
	◊ —
Linda	♣ 10865
♠ 963
♥ Q
◊
♣ A732

It couldn’t hurt to lay down the ♣A and see what happened.  Colin played the ♣J playing upside down carding.  What should I do?  I knew Colin had ♥Kxx.   Declarer pretty well had to have the ♣K and if Colin did have the ♣K it was KJ doubleton or he would have encouraged.  It can’t hurt to play a spade back.

I should lead a spade and Colin would make his king and then a diamond would promote my trump queen.  Besides declarer really had to have the ♣K to come close to his bid.  Doh! 

+200 wasn’t a bad score but we could have got +500 and really made declarer pay for his bidding.  This was the whole hand.

 

	North
	♠ K10
	♥ J8643
	◊ Q98
Linda	♣ KQ9	Colin
♠ A9632		♠ J5
♥ Q9		♥ K52
◊ KJ		◊ A76532
♣ A732		♣ J4
	South
	♠ Q874
	♥ A107
	◊ 104
	♣ 10865