As the summer months approach, you may be playing bridge with new or unfamiliar partners for various reasons; snowbirds returning to northern climates, extended vacations, or long cruises. When you play with a new partner and get bad results, don’t be quick to blame him/her for the outcome. What did you do to contribute to that 45% game. Let’s look at some things that went wrong -- especially on defense which is the toughest part of bridge.

You’re defending 3NT and partner leads what appears to be a fourth best in spades. You didn’t play the Ace and return the suit? In New England, we called people like you squirrels, hoarding your aces like so many acorns for the upcoming winter. Tempo is everything in no-trump contracts and you just gave declarer all he/she could want.

Against suit contracts, you are using upside-down attitude and count. Defending a 4 Heart contract, partner leads the Ace of diamonds (ace from ace-king). But instead of playing the two followed by the six to show a doubleton, you get careless. You play the six first and then the two, then you huff and puff when partner doesn’t give you a ruff.

You are defending a 4 Spade contract and partner leads the Ace of diamonds followed by the three. You follow low to the Ace, take the King of diamonds, and lead back a diamond for partner to ruff. But it wasn’t a low diamond (suit preference for clubs). Partner gets the ruff but returns a heart (your high diamond told partner you had an entry in hearts).

One of the benefits of playing with a steady partner is that you usually have faith in their play, especially defense. My late partner, Dan Cunningham, and I played TYP - trust your partner. The following hand illustrates TYP at its best. We were both avid fans of Eddie Kanter and in his book, Modern Bridge Defense,” Kanter has many gems including this one: “When the next
obvious winner is in dummy, partner’s first play is suit preference not attitude.

Dan and I were playing in a sectional against tough foes. LHO opened 1, Dan bid 1, and RHO bid 1. I bid 2, followed by 2, 3, 3, pass, and, after a little hesitation, 4. I led the Ace and dummy showed up with: -KJxx, -Kxx, -Kx, -QJxx.

I think they have about 25 HCP and Dan has a 6-card heart suit. After declarer plays low, Dan plays the nine. It can’t be an encouraging card, the King is in dummy. I remember Kanter’s hint and switch to a low diamond. Dan takes the Queen and Ace and leads a low club. Declarer lets it ride and I take the King. Then, with nothing better to lead, I return a club and Dan ruffs for down two - cold top.

So next time you and your new partner have a lousy game, look in the mirror you may find the real culprit.

Sincerely, Jim Somma