Defensive play by Judi Radin in USBF women’s trials

	Radin ♠ Q872 ♥ AJT83 ♦ KT7 ♣ Q
Dummy ♠ J9643 ♥ K5 ♦ J53 ♣ T72

Holding this hand:  ♠Q872, ♥AJT83, ♦KT7, ♣Q, Radin heard opponents bid to 3NT.  On opening lead, she, having heard declarer announce a big hand (2♣ opener) and a long club suit, led the ♥J and saw this dummy and Trick 1 and 2 play:  Trick 1 won with dummy’s ♥K (don’t know their carding, but I believe that third hand played ♥9, which looks like upside down attitude, and declarer played ♥2).  At Trick 2, declarer passed ♣7 to Radin’s stiff ♣Q.  What now?

Possibly reading the ♣7 play as an avoidance play to keep West from leading through declarer’s ♥Q, Radin switched to a small spade.  Look what happened:

• West’s ♠T forced the ♠A.
• Declarer took one high club in hand and then led a club to dummy’s ♣T.
• Declarer took losing diamond finesse.
• Radin cashed ♠Q, then led a spade to her partner’s ♠K.  That is one club, one diamond, and two spades, book for the defense.
• West returned a heart and Radin cashed four tricks in that suit.  Down four!  Nice swing to Moss playing against Sprung.

Dealer: Vul:	North ♠ A ♥ Q42 ♦ AQ2 ♣ AKJ983
West ♠ KT5 ♥ 976 ♦ 9864 ♣ 654		East ♠ Q872 ♥ AJT83 ♦ KT7 ♣ Q
	South ♠ J9643 ♥ K5 ♦ J53 ♣ T72