Jennbridge: The Lockout

Defend this hand with me.  It is from a pair game.

West Deals None Vul
	N W E S	♠ A J 4 2 ♥ 10 4 ♦ 6 5 4 ♣ Q 9 5 4
	♠ 9 7 6 5 3 ♥ A J 7 ♦ Q J ♣ J 8 2

West	North	East	South
			Jenn
1 ♥	Pass	1 ♠	Pass
1 NT	All pass

1 NT by West

Partner led the ♦7, his 4th best diamond, and declarer won my jack with her king. After thinking for a couple of minutes she led a spade to the jack and her slight mannerism indicated to me that she had just won a spade finesse. She led the ♥10 off the board and it held. She followed with another heart and I won my ace. I played the ♦ queen and it held.

What's going on? What to do next?

I counted declarer's tricks: 4 hearts, 1 diamond and 2 spades. 7 tricks--if she can take them. Our job as defenders is to try to prevent that. The best way to do that is to put her back on the board and hope that she is locked out of hand. It is too dangerous to break the club suit and if partner has a ♣ trick he will get it in due course. Therefore I return a spade, and the play goes queen, king, ace.

Now declarer comes off the board with a club and plays the ♣ king, partner winning the ace. So far so good. Now we should be able to lock her out of her hand and prevent her from cashing her winning hearts. Partner cashes the ♦ ace and two more diamonds. Now he only needs to exit with a club to complete the successful defense, which he does. Declarer can win only the ♣ queen before giving me the last two tricks. Declarer takes only 5 tricks (1♥, 1♦, 2♠ and 1♣) and goes down 2.

Plus 100 is nearly a top board. Here are all 4 hands:
 

West Deals None Vul	♠ K 10 ♥ 8 6 2 ♦ A 10 9 7 3 ♣ A 10 6
♠ Q 8 ♥ K Q 9 5 3 ♦ K 8 2 ♣ K 7 3	N W E S	♠ A J 4 2 ♥ 10 4 ♦ 6 5 4 ♣ Q 9 5 4
	♠ 9 7 6 5 3 ♥ A J 7 ♦ Q J ♣ J 8 2

This type of defensive situation occurs frequently. Stay alert for opportunities to disrupt communication and lock declarer out of her hand (or off the board) and away from winning tricks!

See you at the table!