Constructing an expert defense.
Bridge Column for October 11, 2002, Harvey Bernstein
Both sides vulnerable.  North deals.
                              North
                              S: K 9              
                              H: A 9 7 2     
                              D: Q J 10 9 4  
                              C: K 8     
            West                             East
            S: 4 3                           S: 10 7 6 2     
            H: 10 8 5                        H: K Q 6 4    
            D: K 6 3 2                       D: 8 7 5             
            C: Q 10 6 5                      C: 9 2      
                              South                         
                              S: A Q J 8 5 
                              H: J 3        
                              D: A         
                              C: A J 7 4 3 
          The Bidding:  
                  North    East    South    West                  
                   1D      Pass     1S      Pass
                   1NT     Pass     3C      Pass
                   3S      Pass     4C      Pass
                   4H     Double    4NT     Pass
                   5H      Pass     6S      Pass
                   Pass    Pass
     Every so often a hand comes up that separates the experts
from all of the other players.  This is such a hand.  It was
played at a recent national tournament and Peter Weichsel of Los
Gatos, CA held the West cards.  Weichsel is a four time world
champion.  His defense on this hand against a very good small
slam in spades was nothing short of brilliant.
     East's double of the four heart cue bid was very helpful. 
Weichsel was able to make the best lead of a small heart. 
Declarer won the ace and crossed to the ace of diamonds.  A spade
to the king was the entry to dummy to allow declarer to play the
queen of diamonds.  East followed with the seven and declarer
discarded the jack of hearts.  Put yourself in Weichsel's
position and decide how you would continue.
     Weichsel found a defense that would elude many of us looking
at all four hands; he ducked the queen of diamonds without so
much as a hitch!  Declarer, very naturally, played the jack of
diamonds.  East played the eight and South discarded a club.  Now
Weichsel took the king of diamonds and led his last diamond.  
     Declarer played the ten and East trumped low.  Declarer was
forced to over trump but incredibly he was now a trick short for
his contract.  He tried to recover by playing three rounds of
clubs, trumping the third round with the nine of spades in dummy,
but East was able to over trump and defeat what appeared to be an
ice cold slam.
     Do you see what happened?  Declarer needs to discard three
clubs from his hand.  The only tricks he has to do that are the
diamonds.  If Weichsel wins the second diamond trick, no matter
what he returns, declarer can gain the lead, draw trump, enter
dummy with the king of clubs, and take three club discards on the
diamonds.  

     When Weichsel ducks this trick, declarer must continue
diamonds.  He doesn't have enough entries to now draw trump,
return to dummy and lead a diamond (thereby establishing the long
diamond tricks), and then be able to get back to the dummy to
enjoy those tricks.
     Give yourself full credit if you even considered not taking
the king of diamonds when it was first offered!
______________________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.