Things are sort of returning to normal on the bridge scene now that the post Regional doldrums start to lift and a couple of Club Championships in February and March should kick-start the new bridge year at the Club.

On Monday the 23rd and Friday the 27th the Club will stage the Mens and Ladies Pairs — the sign-up sheet is posted and the deadline is Thursday the 19th.

Then on March 3rd and 10th the Junior Pairs will be held and a sign-up sheet will be posted shortly — so get those entries in.

This week’s hand is a defensive problem and you are sitting East.

Dealer East N/S Vulnerable

North: S54, H42, DKJ87654, CA3

East: SAQ1073, H986, DQ109, CK7

The Bidding:

West North East South

1S DBL

4S 5D Pass 6H

Partner leads the 6 of spades which you win with the Ace — what next?

Declarer has clearly made a really aggressive bid looking at dummy and you have to find your best chance of defeating the hand. A wooden spade return is out of the question as declarer clearly has spades under control, but what is the alternative?

You do know that declarer almost certainly has seven or more solid hearts, probably Kx of spades and certainly the Ace of Diamonds so his hand is most likely one of these:

Kx, AKQJxxx, Ax, ??

Kx, AKQJxxx, Axx,?

Kx AKQJxxx A , ???

If it is either of the second or third hands above there is no way for the hand to be made no matter what you return — try it.

The first shape though is the most likely … so what do you return?

Okay, here is the full hand … what do you return ??

North: S54, H42, DKJ87654, CA3

East: SAQ1073, H986, DQ109, CK7

South: SK2, HAKQJ1073, DA2, CJ2

West: SJ986, H5, D3, CQ1098654

Correct — the Club King has to hit the table at trick two.

Declarer is now dead as he cannot set up the diamonds and get back to the dummy to enjoy them.

What if declarer started with K2 AKQJ1073 A2 Q2 — your King of Clubs now makes his hand good.

Don’t fret — it is just another way of letting him make as a non Club lead makes it all too easy for him — he just draws trump, plays Ace King and ruffs a diamond and the has the Club entry to the good diamonds in dummy.

Study it — these entry removing plays come up often.