Source: ACBL Bulletins
During each day of the NABC, Eddie Kantar, one of the best American bridge authors, explains one bridge hand, for players who want to improve their bridge.
This is the third hand of St Louis NABC 2013: Taking charge and responding to a takeout double.
|
A K Q J 
| West | North | East | South |
1 |
Dbl | Pass | 2 |
| 3 |
4 |
The End |
Lead: A
Bidding commentary:
As South, add an extra point for your five-card major facing a takeout double. Your hand is now worth at least 9 points, enough to make a jump response to a takeout double (9-11). As North, don’t talk yourself into counting anything for Q J. Even so, you have 17 support points, enough to bid game directly.
Defensive commentary:
As West, begin with the A and K.
Defensive commentary #2:
As East, ruff partner’s K at trick two and lead a club! No, you haven’t gone mad. You do see those diamonds in dummy, don’t you? It is vital to take club tricks before they go off on diamonds. Basically, you have to hope partner has the 
A Q. This is your last chance to do something meaningful, so don’t blow it! Switch to a club at trick three before the mice can get at partner’s club tricks. When the dummy has an imposing side suit with a strong trump fit, it is usually right for the defense to play an attacking game. This may mean ruffing partner’s trick with a worthless trump to lead a suit through declarer that partner cannot lead safely. Do it! Third hand should make the following opening lead inferences: When dummy tables and the A-K of any side suit is not visible, third hand assumes that partner does not have both honors. The same inference, to a lesser extent, is available when the K-Q of a side suit is not visible.