Dealer South Both  Vul.

                                    ♠          9 6

                                    ♥          10 9 8 5 2

                                    ♦          K 8 7 6 5

                                    ♣          J

            ♠          K 10 8 7 4                                 ♠          J 3 2

            ♥          K 3                                            ♥          7

            ♦          9                                                ♦          A J 4 3

            ♣          K Q 4 3 2                                  ♣          A 10 9 8 6

                                    ♠          A Q 5

                                    ♥          A Q J 6 4

                                    ♦          Q 10 2

                                    ♣          7 5

On our hand this week we need to analyse the lead. Is declarer false carding and trying to put us off from leading another Diamond. Well if this is genuine singleton Queen, then partner must have started with 1092  and would have not led the 9 from such a holding so declarer’s false card has in fact made it easier for you now confirming that the 9 is a singleton. You now need to a) give partner a ruff and b) Tell him what to play next . You play back the Diamond 3, your lowest to tell him your entry is in Clubs. He duly gets his ruff, plays back a club and you play a further Diamond and the defence gets an uppercut in trumps. If declarer ruffs with Jack or Queen partner can overruff and if declarer ruffs with the Ace partner’s King will be the setting trick shortly.

Without this defence declarer will get home because the Heart king is coming down and he has enough entries to set up the Diamonds losing up to two diamonds and 1 Club only.

With your defence you have made 2 minor suit aces and 2 ruffs from the Diamond suit.

You can also play out the following hand  to see how the hand pans out. (You need bridgvu.exe programme  and it is available free from   http://www.haroldschogger.videoes.html or BridgeBase programme on your machine already to view it )

alternatively watch the film of the hand being played out by going to www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm