Today’s deal features an interesting defensive problem and highlights an important defensive principle. Declarer has no control over his result — it’s all up to the defence.
East plays the two of clubs at trick one, discouraging. West continues with the queen of clubs and East shows his “present count” in the suit by playing his nine. West now knows that another club trick is cashing, so he leads the king of clubs. What now? The winning continuation is a fourth round of clubs, giving declarer a ruff-sluff but promoting East’s jack of spades into the setting trick. West will probably find this play, but it isn’t certain.
Can East help West find the winning play? East could play his second and third clubs in reverse order, playing the three followed by the nine. This “red flag” should cause partner to sit up and take notice. “Why did my partner play his clubs that way? He must be calling my attention to something unusual”. Yes, this might work. It is also possible that partner will see the three of clubs at trick two and decide that the third club isn’t cashing. He might shift at trick three.
“Don’t tell partner what to do. Tell him what you have and let him figure out what to do” is an important defensive principle. “Red flags” should be rare. East should just play his cards normally and let West figure it out.
