Dubious Logic

Felixstowe Congress (2)

Last week I left you with a problem from the Swiss Teams at the Felixstowe Congress:

With both side vulnerable partner leads the knave of spades, covered in dummy. How do you see the defence going? Would it help if I told you West had led a singleton?

Well if partner has a singleton, its seems straightforward; you can score a ruff immediately and, as you are sure to be in again with the ace of trumps, you might be able to provide another. Perhaps West's hearts are as good as knave to three.

That at least addresses the question of where your four tricks to defeat the contract might come from but it requires partner to have a trump good enough to over-ruff the closed hand. In turn that means that South's hearts are as poor as ten-high. If you had to hope for that then you should, defeating the contract is what counts at teams, but there is a much better way. At trick two, after winning the spade ace, you should return your singleton club.

Declarer can do no better than play trumps; you win the first round and give partner a ruff with your lowest spade to signal a club return (you can never be too careful). Two aces and two ruffs defeat the game.

Without being told West has singleton makes the problem a little harder. If partner has a doubleton and a heart high enough to promote, it might seem you have to play a second spade at trick two, but that is just three tricks. If partner has the diamond ace, you can still come to your club ruff with the club play at trick two. But, after winning the heart ace, how would you know whether to play a diamond or a spade?

West should tell you. There are two opportunities to signal, on the club play and when declarer tackles trumps: West playing the highest card in both suits should get the spade ruff message across.

Published Saturday 20.Oct.2007