There is an Italian proverb that goes: "Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out." Or should that be: many a pair of Italian shoes is bought?
In this deal, there are several echoes of yesterday's. The North and East hands are the same. The contract is unchanged at three no-trump. The opening lead is another case of deja vu, being the spade jack. The similarities continue when East signals with his two and South takes the trick with his king. And declarer again plays a club, putting West in. But what should happen now?
Yesterday I pointed out that North should immediately raise two no-trump to three no-trump. When holding a good, long suit, bid three no-trump if you think the suit can be established and run, or get into three of your suit if you think it will be useful only as trumps. Do not pass out two no-trump.
From East's discouraging spade two, West knows that the spade suit is useless and that they need to win the next four tricks in diamonds if they are to defeat the contract.
So West shifts to the diamond two, the low card saying that he has at least one honor in the suit and that he is trying to win tricks in this suit, not in another one. Then East should win the trick with his diamond ace and return the diamond 10, the higher of two remaining cards, not go back to spades. Here, this defense does exactly as West had hoped and South goes down one.
Leading a low card in an unbid suit at any trick promises at least one honor in that suit.
In this deal, there are several echoes of yesterday's. The North and East hands are the same. The contract is unchanged at three no-trump. The opening lead is another case of deja vu, being the spade jack. The similarities continue when East signals with his two and South takes the trick with his king. And declarer again plays a club, putting West in. But what should happen now?
Yesterday I pointed out that North should immediately raise two no-trump to three no-trump. When holding a good, long suit, bid three no-trump if you think the suit can be established and run, or get into three of your suit if you think it will be useful only as trumps. Do not pass out two no-trump.
From East's discouraging spade two, West knows that the spade suit is useless and that they need to win the next four tricks in diamonds if they are to defeat the contract.
So West shifts to the diamond two, the low card saying that he has at least one honor in the suit and that he is trying to win tricks in this suit, not in another one. Then East should win the trick with his diamond ace and return the diamond 10, the higher of two remaining cards, not go back to spades. Here, this defense does exactly as West had hoped and South goes down one.
Leading a low card in an unbid suit at any trick promises at least one honor in that suit.