[kgr]

MPs

---

Normal signal.
Partner North leads the ♥K taken by declarer (W) with the ♥A.
Declarer plays a ♠ to ♠K in Dummy.
Another ♠ is played for your ♠Q.
You play a trump that is taken by dummy.
This is followed by another ♠ from Dummy.
♥K-♥7-♥4-♥A
♠5-♠3-♠K-♠2
♠8-♠Q-♠T-♠4
♦4-♦2-♥3-♦7
♠9-???

- Who has ♠A, ♥KQ?
- What is partners distribution?
- What tricks will declarer make?

=> How do you plan the defense?

[Cyberyeti]

Not a beginner so hiding my reply, but this is a nice problem.

Spoiler

Partner is 5503 with S A, H KQ plus maybe HJ or some minor club honours. if declarer has QC he can always make the contract by leading up to it. If he hasn't (and doesn't have H J10 or J98) then you can defeat him by ruffing this and returning a trump if declarer discards. Declarer is hoping to discard a club on the 9S so your partner who has no trump to lead wins the trick.

Declarer's plan is to score KS, AH, AC and 8 trumps, You have to ruff both dummy's spades (if declarer overruffs the first one) to ensure you get in to lead a trump and prevent declarer scoring all his trumps separately.

[kgr]

 Cyberyeti, on 2012-December-13, 12:20, said:

Not a beginner so hiding my reply, but this is a nice problem.

Thanks. Your analysis is correct.

[Cyberyeti]

Do you mind me pinching this to stick in our local county bridge association magazine ? It seems to be about the right level for most of the readers.

[kgr]

 Cyberyeti, on 2012-December-16, 08:57, said:

Do you mind me pinching this to stick in our local county bridge association magazine ? It seems to be about the right level for most of the readers.

No problem.
Note: I played this hand against Jack. My partner didn't duck ♠A however. That is probably less obvious.
This was a hand of tournament "MK Paren 2003" (means something like: Netherlands Master Class Pairs 2003)