Killing Defence

Defending a contract is full of risk and reward.

Occasionally the road is clear, as in Board 22.

East opens 1D, South bids 1H and North leaps to 4S.

East has 2 possible leads in either minor suit.

All chose a club lead, some the A but mostly the K.

As a preference, lead the K, as it promises the A or Q.

Dummy puts down the QJ1052 of clubs.

It would be very high risk to continue with the AC.

This may set up the remaining club suit with 2 aces as entries.

Best to start an attack on those 2 entries.

So, East should switch to the KD at trick 2.

Can you see the inadvertent effect of the switch?

North can no longer get a discard on the AH.

Forcing the AD at trick 2 is the killing defence.

North has now 4 losers; 2 clubs, a diamond and a trump.

4 Norths bid and made game, 2 with an overtrick.

Defending well is as pleasurable as bidding and playing well.

Regularly, 20% of our contracts are poorly defended.

This distorts results in a way where players are rewarded.

Not from good play, but less than adequate defence.