Are your opponents lucky?

Do you get the impression that Lady Luck frequently smiles on your opponents?

Believe it or not, there are things you can do to spike herguns. On this hand from the Funbridge daily matchpointed tournament, both East and West had a chance to make things more difficult for declarer. Would you have done better as a defender?

None Vul, Dealer East

You lead the K♣ and partner signals count with the 5♣, probably showing an even number. You cannot tell whether partner has two clubs or four, so you switch to the A♥ at trick two. Partner signals encouragement with the 9♥, so you play a second heartand partner covers dummy’s card but declarer ruffs.

Declarer now plays a diamond and successfully finesses the jack. Next he plays a trump to his king, and then he exits with a low trump to East’s ace. Declarer ruffs the club continuation, draws your last trump, and plays a low diamond toward dummy.The appearance of your K♦ enables declarer to claim ten tricks. You look ruefully at the hand diagram, cursing declarer’s good fortuneat finding both the K♦ and the A♠ not only onside but also doubleton.