Thinking on defense.
Bridge Column for April 30, 2004, Harvey Bernstein
Special To The Plain Dealer
North-South vulnerable.  South deals.
                                   North
                                   S: A K J
                                   H: 9 6 3 2
                                   D: K Q 6 5 4
                                   C: 8

                        West                      East 
                        S: Q 8 7                  S: 10 9 6 5
                        H: Q J 10 7 5             H: 4
                        D: J 9                    D: A 10 7 2
                        C: 6 4 2                  C: K 10 9 3

                                   South
                                   S: 4 3 2  
                                   H: A K 8  
                                   D: 8 3   
                                   C: A Q J 7 5
             The Bidding:  
    
                         South   West    North   East  
                          1C     Pass     1D     Pass             
                          1NT    Pass     3NT    Pass
                          Pass   Pass
     Thanks to Marty Baff of Beachwood for this hand that took
place at a team event at the North American Bridge Championships
that were held in Reno, Nevada in March.  The hand illustrates
how an expert defender can mislead the declarer and possibly gain
create an advantage where none exists.
     West led a very normal queen of hearts.  Declarer elected to
allow the queen to hold.  The seven of hearts was led to the
second trick and Baff, sitting East, discarded the six of spades. 
Declarer took the ace of hearts and played a small diamond to the
king.  Baff ducked this trick.
     Declarer led a small club to the queen, which held.  The
eight of diamonds was covered with the jack and queen.  Baff took
the ace and smoothly led the nine of clubs.
     At this point, you may want to ask "Why didn't Baff cash his
two high diamond tricks?"  His response would be "If I cash my
good diamonds, declarer will have two heart tricks, two diamond
tricks (the king and the fifth diamond in the North hand), and
two club tricks.  He will be forced to take the spade finesse for
his ninth trick.  I know that finesse will work, so I would like
to help him think that there may be another line of play."
     Declarer played the jack of clubs and when that held, he
took some time to think about what he knew (or thought he knew). 
He must have worked out East's distribution, but he wasn't sure
of where the high cards were.  Declarer played a spade to the
ace.  Baff played the nine.  A heart to the king was next.  Baff
played the ten of spades!
     South was now convinced that he had managed to squeeze
Baff's hand down to the queen of spades, the ten-seven of
diamonds, and the king-ten of clubs.  Having no more entries to
his hand, he cashed the ace of clubs and led a spade to the king. 
Baff followed with the five and declarer lost the last three
tricks for down one.
     At the companion table, East took the ace of diamonds when
it was first offered and declarer took the spade finesse, making
three no trump.
     Baff did his work on this hand.  He tried to determine where
declarer's tricks were coming from and how might be able to lead
declarer astray.  Don't be disappointed if you work very hard at
this and your efforts are not always successful - one in ten
would be a good average - and it will improve your game.  
_______________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.