Ruff Times On Defense

As West or East, decide how you would defend at the crucial moment.

1.	K 4		West	North	East	South
Both vul	J 10 9 2					1
	A 5 4		Pass	3	Pass	4
	A 7 6 4		Pass	Pass	Pass
J 10 8
A 4
K 8 7 2
K 9 8 3		4 South

You lead J. South wins A and leads Q to king, then J and lets it ride.

Your play and lead?  

2.	J 10 8 4		West	North	East	South
N-S vul	8 2					1
	K 10 4		2	3	Pass	4
	A Q 5 4		Pass	Pass	Pass
2
A K Q 10 7
Q J 9
J 10 9 6		4 South

You win the K-A as partner plays 9-3 to show a doubleton.

Your next lead? 

3.	J 8 4 2		West	North	East	South
None vul	Q 8 4					1
	K 5 3		1	2	Pass	4
	Q 7 2		Pass	Pass	Pass
A K Q 7 6
K 7 6 2
2
J 10 9		4 South

You win the K-A as partner and South both follow.

Your next lead? 

Quit

Top Ruff Times On Defense

4.	7 4 2		West	North	East	South
None vul	K Q 9 2				2	4
	Q J 5		Pass	Pass	Pass
	Q 9 8
Q 3
A 10 8 7 6
K 4
7 6 5 3		4 South

You lead the K which holds as partner signals with the eight.

Your next lead? 

5.	7 6 5		West	North	East	South
Both vul	Q J 10 3				2	2
	10 9 5		Pass	3	Pass	4
	A Q J		Pass	Pass	Pass
J 8 4 2
8 6 5
Q 2
K 9 5 4		4 South

You lead Q. Partner wins K, A then leads J and South ruffs with 10.

Your play? 

6.	5 4 3 2		West	North	East	South
N-S vul	A 8 4					1
	9 5		Pass	2	2	3
	Q 10 6 5		Pass	Pass	Pass
9 7
J 6
A J 8 7 2
K 9 8 2		3 South

You lead the 9. Partner wins J, K then leads A and South ruffs with 10.

Your play and lead?  

Quit

Top Ruff Times On Defense

7.	A 4		West	North	East	South
E-W vul	Q 8 2			1	Pass	1
	K 9 7 4		Pass	1 NT	Pass	4
	A 10 7 2		Pass	Pass	Pass
		10
		J 7 3
		A 10 8 6 3
4 South		J 9 8 6

Partner leads the K to dummy’s ace. Declarer plays the A and another spade.

Your play? 

8.	J 10 3		West	North	East	South
N-S vul	K J 10 3					1
	A 4 2		Pass	2	Pass	Pass
	J 3 2		Pass
		7 5
		A Q 6 4
		10 9 8 5
2 South		K 10 6

Partner leads the 9 and dummy plays the jack.

Your play and lead?  

9.	A K 2		West	North	East	South
E-W vul	8 7 4			1 NT	Pass	3
	A K 6 4 3		Pass	4	Pass	Pass
	Q 4		Pass
		10 6 5 4 3
		Q 2
		J 5
4 South		J 10 9 8

Partner leads Q to king. Declarer plays A-K (partner high-lows) then the 3.

Your play? 

Quit

Top Ruff Times On Defense

© 1998 Richard Pavlicek