Source: BDI Bridge de Italia 99
The pitch issue is not only a problem for the defense. Sometimes it can be a nightmare for the declarer.
One thing is to count winners and another thing is to be able to do them. One of the first concepts you learn in bridge is to maintain communications between the dummy and your hand. A good declarer should not relax in situations where the abundance of entrances would seem to be no problems.
 A 10 6 4 8 5 2 10 8 3 A 10 4 |
| K 7 A 4 3 K 9 4 K 8 6 5 2 |
| West | North | East | South |
| 1 |
|||
| 1 |
1 |
Pass | 1NT |
| The End |
You bid 1NT after West’s 1. West decides not to help you, leading a diamond, instead he leads the K. His partner plays the J and you hold up. West continues with two heart rounds (the Q and the 7) and you win the third round. East contributes the 6 and the 9.
Now would seem quite normal to play a club, playing two small ones in the first trick of the suit. The club suit seem to be 3-2, because West seems to have 3 hearts and 5 diamonds, and did not double 1 (he should not have 4 spades, and therefore not a singleton club).
You play club, covering West’s 3 with the 10, East wins with the J and as you expected he plays the fourth heart. What do you pitch from your hand?
Not a club, because are winners. Not a diamond, since that allows West to have 5 diamond tricks, (AQJxx), you dont have alternatives you have to pitch the 7.
East plays a diamond to his partner’s J, who plays his last club. Ooops!
If you win in dummy you will never get to the A, if you win in hand you will not be able to play your clubs…down you are.
In real life, Milton Rosenberg from Chicago, the declarer, knew since the very first moment he should need to pitch something when the fourth heart was played, and so before playing a club, he played the K.
The complete hand:
| A 10 6 4 8 5 2 10 8 3 A 10 4 |
||
| 9 5 3 K Q 7 A Q J 7 2 7 3 |
Q J 8 2 J 10 9 6 6 5 10 7 6 4 |
|
| K 7 A 4 3 K 9 4 K 8 6 5 2 |