Practice Hand 3 · Defense · Deal 15 from A Bridge Guide, Ch. 26
Subtract the card led from 11 — and find declarer's cards.
North · Dummy
10 HCP
East · You (Defender)
10 HCP
| West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1NT | Pass | 3NT | Pass |
| Pass | Pass | — | — |
Solution
Subtract the card led from 11: 11 − 6 = 5. That's how many cards higher than the 6 sit in the three other hands combined.
Dummy has ♠K and ♠10 — 2 higher. You hold ♠A, ♠J, ♠7 — 3 higher. 2 + 3 = 5. That accounts for all five.
The math is decisive: declarer (West) has zero spades higher than the 6.
Not the Ace. Not the Jack. The ♠7 wins the trick because declarer cannot beat it. More importantly, your ♠AJ stay in place as a tenace over dummy's ♠K10.
When you regain the lead later, lead a spade through dummy. Whatever dummy plays, your AJ catches it — and partner's spade suit becomes established. Playing the Ace or Jack now would waste the tenace and let dummy's ♠K become a winner.
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