Be sure to tune in to Canada vs Cayne on BBO at 6:30 PM CDT on September 5th.

9/4 - Here's a defensive problem from today that I muffed.  I'm not sure if I should get it right.

642 / AK9876 / K9 / 92

 

4th unfavorable

2 passes to RHO who opens ...

1 Heart

Okay, so much for that suit.

Lefty bids 2 Clubs (not alerted) and Righty bids 3NT.

Doubling in the hopes of chasing them to 4 Hearts seems a little too optimistic, so I passed.

What to lead?

It seems likely that partner has Spade length, so I led the 6 of Spades.

K3 / 43 / T873 / AQJ76 Dummy (LHO)

642 / AK9876 / K9 / 92

Declarer wins the King (partner plays the 7, undiscussed, presumably std carding) and plays a Heart to the Queen (partner following, presumably with his only Heart.)  I won the Ace (seems like this falsecard is pretty safe) and continued a 2nd Spade to partner's Jack and Declarer's Ace.

 

Now Declarer played a Club to the Queen (winning) and another Heart off, on which partner discarded the 5 of Diamonds.

- / 4 / T873 / AQ76 Dummy (LHO)

2 / K9876 / K9 / 2

Do you win the Heart?  If so, what do you play now?

Did Declarer start with:

Axx / QJTx / Ax?? / Kx??

If so, another Spade is the only way to beat it.

Unfortunately, Declarer had:

AQ8 / QJT5 / 62 / KT53

 

Giving Partner ...

 

JT975 / 2 / AQJ54 / 84

Pard could have done the job by playing the Jack of Spades at trick 1 (denying the Queen.)  Then I have no choice but to find the King of Diamonds switch.  Maybe I should find it anyway.  I guess I should take some solace from the (surprising) fact that none of the 7 other pairs defending 3NT beat it either.

-400 was a 10 IMP swing (Lose 6 instead of Win 4.)

http://online.bridgebase.com/myhands/fetchlin.php?id=6196570&when_played=1188918860