BRIDGE

Early error

Andrew Robson

ON this week's deal Carlton's Michael Green had the perfect credentials for a successful defence. As West, it was Michael's perception of declarer's commu- nication problems that caused the downfall of the contract.

Dealer West North-South vulnerable 4 J 109 3 ♦ 7 • J 6

+ A K 9 8 4 2

4A Q4

48 7 6 2

N

VA J 4 r8 6

5 2 • 8 4 3

W E

• K 9 5

Q J 6 3

+7 5

4K5

K Q 109 3

• A Q 10 7 2

+ 10

South West North 1NT 2+ East pass 21, 3NT pass 24 pass pass pass pass Michael found the best opening lead of 43, in spite of dummy having bid the suit, and declarer's only direct channel to dummy was severed at trick one. He rose with +K and cashed +A on which he dis- carded V3. Doubtless nervous of never scoring +A unless he took it then, declarer had established a dangerously large num- ber of tricks for Michael. He then led ♦J and East covered with ♦K. He won *A, cashed ♦Q and ♦10 and, when the suit split favourably, continued with 407 and and ♦2. Michael discarded 44 and V4. Declarer then led VK and Michael won VA. Michael cashed 4Q, on which declar- er discarded V9, but when he led 4.1, declarer was unable to find a satisfactory discard. Down to 4K5 and VQ10, he could not afford to discard 45 or Michael would cash 4A, felling his 4K, and score 4Q. But when he elected to discard V10, Michael exited with VJ. Declarer won •Q but was forced to lead away from 4K5 into West's 4AQ. Declarer's error came early on. It would have been needlessly risky, though successful, for him to run the opening lead to +10, but having won 4K he should have appreciated that leaving +A in dummy would pose an insuperable threat for West. If he leads ♦J at trick two and runs five ♦ winners, he can cope with any defensive strategy that West might devise.