Post Mortem Decision

Playing in the Mixed Pairs, I have a bidding decision and a post-mortem decision. At unfavorable vulnerability, I deal myself

843

J42

K763

Q76 The bidding proceeds

Me	LHO	Partner	RHO
Pass	2	3	3
?

It seems to me that if partner can make 4

, she would have either doubled or bid it herself, so I make a mildly conservative pass. We don't find the optimum defense, but beat 3

one trick.

As we get up from the table, partner asks if we can make 4. I answer quickly, "I don't think so," so she is pleased with our result.

She gets me thinking about the hand, and after a few more seconds I recant. The whole hand was

	843 J42 K763 Q76
K5 93 Q985 AJ1084		AQJ972 Q6 J42 95
	106 AK10875 A10 K32

The normal defense is to start with three rounds of spades. If declarer ruffs with the

10 and runs all the trumps but one, this position develops:

	— — K763 Q7
— — Q985 AJ10		9 — J42 95
	— 5 A10 K32

West has not yet discarded on the penultimate trump. If he discards a diamond, declarer ruffs the diamonds good and can get to dummy with the

Q. If West pitches a club, declarer can lead to the

Q and duck to the now stiff ace. Trump squeezes without the count are not exactly common occurrances, but I have to admit to partner that it might be possible to make 4

on the hand...unless East shifts to a club instead of playing the third spade. Then she could not make it.