[kgr]

Scoring: IMP

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1NT-2♣
2♥-4♣   (4♣=splinter)
4♦-4♥
4♠-4NT
5♦-6♥  (41-30)
 
Partner leads ♦2 (3th/5th) and dummy's ♦10 holds this trick (♦2-T-7-3)
The singleton ♣9 is played to declarer's ♣A (♣9-4-A-3)
And declarer runs the ♥7: ♥7-2-5-
 
What do you return after taking ♥K?
(Maybe this is no expert defense, but I hope that it will be interesting for someone)

[Fluffy]

first problem is when to take ♥K you normally want to take your lone honnor with many small trumps at the last opportunity, being the king, at the second round.

Abotu what to return, unless declarer has ♠AK stiff opps have a slow spade trick to lose. Seems that anything will work, but I'd return a trump. didn't think much of it.

[ceeb]

A ♣ return is fatal if declarer had Ax, J1097, Axx, AKxx, but other than that the defense no longer matters. A ♠ would cost only against A,J1097,Axx,AKJxx or AK,J1097,Axx,AKxx which of course are not 1NT bids, and a ♥ return can never cost the contract.

Failure to have ducked the ♥K might easily have cost: AKx, J1097, Axx, Axx.

[kgr]

ceeb, on Oct 17 2010, 11:32 PM, said:

Failure to have ducked the ♥K might easily have cost: AKx, J1097, Axx, Axx.

Yes, that was the hand. Need to duck ♥K

[Free]

Ducking the ♥K seems so obvious...

[kgr]

Why is Ducking ♥K clear?:
- It is standard with this suit. Always duck, except if there is a very good reason not to duck.
OR:
- It is clear on this hand?

[rhm]

kgr, on Oct 18 2010, 02:54 AM, said:

Why is Ducking ♥K clear?:
- It is standard with this suit. Always duck, except if there is a very good reason not to duck.
OR:
- It is clear on this hand?

I think it is standard. The trump king gives you control over the hand.
If declarer tries to draw trump he will have to draw too many rounds, loosing additional tricks from ruffs. If he does not your small trumps are a threat and he may loose control.

The principle is very similar as with the ace of trumps.
If you hold Axx in trumps delcarer can not just draw 2 rounds of trumps if you duck. If you hold Axxx you duck twice forcing declarer either playing two rounds of trumps or four, in which case he may not have enough tricks.

The difficult deals as usual are the exceptions where you should do something else.
Try this one, which occurred at the table:

Scoring: IMP

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The bidding went

East South West North
pass pass 1♠ DBL
pass 2♥* pass 6♥
pass pass pass

* After some noticable deliberation

Opening lead ♠K (against slams you agreed to lead the K from AK). Declarer ruffs on the table and plays the ♥K. (If you duck declarer will continue with ♥Q to trick 3)

How do you defend and why?

Rainer Herrmann

[ninja89]

Declarer has six black cards. Three are covered by AA and a hypothetical K (without which declarer has no chance). One can be pitched on diamonds if trumps are drawn. Two clubs must be ruffed. If you take the ♥K, you facilitate communications in the trump suit. If you keep the ♥K, you retain control. Ducking is clear on this hand.

Edit: summed up much more succinctly by Rainer

[kgr]

rhm, on Oct 18 2010, 11:11 AM, said:

The difficult deals as usual are the exceptions where you should do something else.
Try this one,  which occurred at the table: 
     

Dealer: East Vul: N/S Scoring: IMP

♠   ♥ KQJT ♦ AKJ54 ♣ AKQ6   ♠ 105 ♥ A65 ♦ T83 ♣ T8754

The bidding went

East  South West North
pass  pass  1♠  DBL
pass  2♥*  pass  6♥
pass  pass    pass

* After some noticable deliberation

Opening lead ♠K (against slams you agreed to lead the K from AK). Declarer ruffs on the table and plays the ♥K. (If you duck declarer will continue with ♥Q to trick 3)

How do you defend and why?

Rainer Herrmann

...ok, let's try:
Take the ♥Ace and play ♠?
Hope that partner is 6=3=2=2 and declarer 5=3=3=2
(But I would expect South to bid 2♦ with that hand)

[rhm]

Think again. Your analysis does not quite add up.

Rainer Herrmann

[ninja89]

Well maybe partner has the ♥9, maybe not. If declarer has only three trumps, the surefire way is to just duck the second round of trumps.

[Flameous]

Declarer has 5413, so I win A and force in spades. Now he can't draw trumps cause no entry to hand. (If he ruffs a diamond, can't take the finesse and ends up a trick short)

[kgr]

Flameous, on Oct 18 2010, 01:13 PM, said:

Declarer has 5413, so I win A and force in spades. Now he can't draw trumps cause no entry to hand. (If he ruffs a diamond, can't take the finesse and ends up a trick short)

Then you can as well return ♥?
Returning ♠ risks to setup ♠-♦ squeeze if declarer has ♠Q

[ninja89]

Flameous, on Oct 18 2010, 06:13 AM, said:

Declarer has 5413, so I win A and force in spades. Now he can't draw trumps cause no entry to hand. (If he ruffs a diamond, can't take the finesse and ends up a trick short)

No good. Even if partner has the singleton ♣J, declarer can play four rounds of clubs to get to hand. On the last trump, partner is squeezed. Another trump would work, but not if declarer has the ♣J, since he can setup diamonds with a finesse and a ruff. Maybe it is right to return a trump... oh well, hopefully partner's there for me with count in trumps.

[rhm]

ninja89, on Oct 18 2010, 05:45 AM, said:

Well maybe partner has the ♥9, maybe not. If declarer has only three trumps, the surefire way is to just duck the second round of trumps.

Apparently West has good ♠, but little outside. West was in third hand at favorable vulnerability.
Yet he neither opened a weak two nor did he rebid his ♠.
So where are all the ♠? It seems West has 5 cards and declarer 6 cards in ♠. Yet declarer did not relish playing 1♠ doubled. His ♠ must be weak and since he thought before bidding 2♥ he seems to be 6=3=2=2

Scoring: IMP

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Ducking the second ♥ beats the contract automatically
When East took the second heart and returned a ♠ declarer took his only chance.
He ruffed with dummy's last ♥, came to the ♣J and drew the last trumps with the ♥9. When the ♦ finesse worked he had all the remaining tricks.

Rainer Herrmann

[ninja89]

Yeah, there are probably enough clues to guess the position. Still, I'd appreciate some assistance from partner in trumps

Glad to see declarer didn't have ♦Q; ♥ ducked twice, ♦ to hand, ♠ ruff, ♣ to hand, ♥ would be nasty! But at least we wouldn't be able to beat the contract, anyway.