Thinking on defense.
Bridge Column for June 14, 2002, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  East deals.
                              North
                              S: 9 8 7 6 2        
                              H: Q 7         
                              D: J 7 3       
                              C: K 6 4   
            West                             East
            S: A K 10 5 4                    S: Q 3          
            H: K 9 4 2                       H: 8 6 5      
            D: 2                             D: A Q 10 9 6 4      
            C: 10 3 2                        C: 8 5         
                              South                         
                              S: J    
                              H: A J 10 3   
                              D: K 8 5     
                              C: A Q J 9 7
          The Bidding:  
                   East   South     West   North                  
                    2D     DBL      Pass    2S  
                   Pass    2NT      Pass    3S  
                   Pass    3NT      Pass    Pass
                   Pass 
     I had some free time one evening and I logged on to OK
Bridge for a few hands of bridge.  I found a table that needed
one player and I asked if I could join.  Everyone seemed
compatible and we had played about six hands when this one came
up.  I am holding the West cards.
     East made a perfectly reasonable weak two bid and South was
faced with a real problem.  To be honest, I don't know what I
would have done with those cards, but I don't think I would have
made a take out double.  
     In short order I found myself on lead against three no
trump.  I saw no reason to lead anything other than my two of
diamonds, if for no other reason than to maintain partnership
trust.  A low diamond was played from dummy and East put in the
ten.  Declarer won the king and led a small club to the king.
     The queen of hearts came around to my king and it was my
turn again.  It appeared that declarer had at least four clubs
and three hearts to cash if he could regain the lead.  If he had
a fifth club he would come to nine tricks.  The question bouncing
around in my head was "Where is the queen of spades?" 
     I decided that the only way to beat this contract was to
find that card with my partner, so I led a small spade.  Partner
played the queen and when that held, he cashed five diamond
tricks.  A small spade back allowed me to cash three spade tricks
before playing a heart to the last trick.  
     Down six was worth all of the matchpoints.  The hand was
played 66 times and I was surprised to see how many times the
final contract was three no trump, or even worse, four spades by
North,  Most of the game contracts were defeated, but three no
trump was succesful at least twice.  Being able to go back and
review all of the results is one of the big benefits of playing
on OK Bridge.  If you have never tried it, go to www.okbridge.com
and see what you are missing.
_______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.