Don't Let Partner Err

By: Larry Cohen

Don't Let Partner Err

This deal (based on one from the 2009 Team Trials) has a good defensive lesson.

Vul: N-S
Dlr: South
 KJ65
 7432
 QJ
 A32
 
 43
 85
 K108643
 Q95
  Q109
 1096
 A97
 J1084
  A872
 AKQJ
 52
 K76
 

After a straightforward Conventional response to notrump to ask about majors Stayman auction (most players show hearts before spades), South lands in 4. West happened to hit on a diamond lead.

The pair was playing 3rd and 5th best leads, so the 8 was chosen.

What should East do when he wins the A?

It would be very careless to return diamonds. Why?

I know you can see that West's K will be the second defensive trick. Declarer has to also lose a trick in each black suit for down one. Right? Not so fast.

West is not a mind reader. When you return a diamond, how is he to know he hasn't struck gold? Who is to say you don't have a doubleton diamond? How would West know not to play another diamond and hope you could overruff dummy? If he tried that, declarer would happily ruff in dummy and throw his club loser to make his contract.

WestNorthEastSouth
1NT
Pass2Pass2
Pass4(All Pass)
Why torture partner? You know he might go wrong if you return a diamond at trick two. A careful defender returns a passive trump at the second trick. Declarer draws trump and goes about his business. That business will produce four losers and no defensive accidents; down one.