Bernie's good defence

Dealer East
Game all
Bernie
â™  A K Q 7 6 2
♥ A J 9
♦ 8
♣ 5 3 2
Stepec
â™  8 5
♥ 4 2
♦ Q 2
♣ K Q J 10 8 7 6
Dicko
â™  J 10 9 4 3
♥ K Q 7 3
♦ A 9 4
♣ A
Mary mary
â™  -
♥ 10 8 6 5
♦ K J 10 7 6 5 3
♣ 9 4
Dicko Bernie Stepec Mary mary
Pass 2♦
Dbl 2♠ 3♣ 3♦
Pass Pass 4♣ Pass
Pass Pass
Mary led ♦J and after some agonising I let this run to my ♦Q. I felt sure Bernie would hold ♥A, so I thought I’d got it made now. I would lose just two spades and the ace of hearts.
I crossed to ♣A and with no way back to hand, led ♥K. Now Bernie led the ace of spades. I was waiting to lose the second round of spades, then ruff the third round high, draw trumps and claim. But Bernie had a long think and then led a small spade instead of ♠K. Mary ruffed, of course, and played a diamond for Bernie to ruff. One down!
It’s an obvious defence looking at all four hands – but I’m not sure I’d have thought of it in time as North. Would you? ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠ ♥ ♣ ♦ ♠
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