The Barking Dog
Playing in the tough District 13 Grand National Teams event, with both vulnerable at IMP’s you pick up 
J 6 
K 
K Q T 9 3 
J 7 5 3 2.
Your RHO opens 1, LHO bids 1 and partner doubles. RHO bids 3 and you elect to bid 4. (Would you?) LHO bids 4 which comes around to you. You pass. (Would you?)
Partner leads the A and you see the following situation:
| NORTH K Q 5 2 A J 6 4 A 7 4 2 6 |
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| EASTJ 6 K K Q T 9 3 J 7 5 3 2 |
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You follow to the first trick with the deuce, and partner switches to the 8. After some thought, declarer plays low and you win the Q. What now?
Good hand! I think declarer has something like:
Ax(x)
Q10xxx(x)
Jxx
Qx
If you do not try to give partner a diamond ruff now, declarer may “hear the dog barking”, and wonder why. If he figures it out, he may drop your stiff king offside. Thus in this event, you are probably better off leading the diamond right now. Declarer then must at least guess the hearts.
After all, if you had this same hand, without the heart king, you may assume partner has the spade ace, and thus must lead the diamond now. Only if you are looking at the heart king will you try something strange.
p.s. Who won the event?
March 6, 2007 Mark Kinzer