The Morning Record – Mar 10, 1975 by Alfred Sheinwold Most bridge players find defense more difficult than declarers play. That need not be a problem since Los Angeles expert Eddie Kantar’s giant book on defense should just about double anybody’s defense skill. Today’s hand, lifted from Kantar’s book, shows how easy it is to be a genius when you think the right way.
4 3  A K J 2  A Q J 10 Q 9 8
Q J 10 7 5 9 8 6 A 10 4 3 2  9 8 6 2  Q 6 3  K 7 5 K J 6
A K 5 10 9 8 7 4 4 3 2  7 5
West North East South
1NT Pass 2
Pass 3 Pass 4
All Pass
Lead: Q Perhaps you don’t agree with North’s opening bid, Kantar admits, but that’s not the problem here. The moment West leads the queen of spades, East knows that South has the ace-king of spades and therefore no ace of clubs for his weak bidding. East plays the deuce of spades at trick one to let West in on the secret. Don’t give the count signal in this situation. It is far more important to tell partner that you have no honors in spades. At trick two a diamond is led to the queen and king. A player who hasn’t bothered to work anything out at this point will return spade. However you will return a club because you know your parter has the ace. Notice that if you dont return a club declarer makes the hand by discarding a losing club on dummy’s fourth diamond after cashing two high trumps.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR