In many hands, a defender must ask himself a series of questions and come up with all the right answers - not at all an easy accomplishment under the pressure of time. But you can learn to arrive quickly at these defensive answers the same way you get to Carnegie Hall. But before practice begins, most players need to confront the score.

This was Board 17 of the Gaymster's October 2002 Swiss matches. At this table, North-South's interference couldn't talk the opponents out of bidding game, but did jar them just enough that they bid the wrong one.

South followed suit to partner's A opening lead. Then came the make-or-break decision when declarer played low to North's J switch (which by agreement denies a higher honor). On this day, South played low and West brought the contract home and with it, the match (see below).

This is not a beginner's mistake. Most beginners know little else to do when defending except cashing winners at the first opportunity. This is a mistake of the intermediate variety — a player who has read and understood the Hold-Up Play (and many other plays) but hasn't yet put all the lessons together. So here are some strains that need to be added to the intermediate tune.

1) We are playing IMPs, not matchpoints, so carving out a plus score is a very high priority. A small increase in the size of that plus score (such as down two versus down one) is far less important.

2) In the actual auction (lovingly withheld), West bid the spade suit showing five. So at least nine or ten cards of declarer's hand pattern are known.

3) Holding a two-suited hand opposite the shown dummy, West will have only one legitimate play for this hand: draw trump and establish his spades one way or another. Since dummy contains three spade cards, declarer will have to take some winning finesses (assuming he needs them), or he will have to lose a trick in that suit to set the rest up. If the defense already has two tricks when that happens, declarer will be down one — plenty fine at this form of scoring.

In the other room, South's teammates, also missed the correct East-West contract (lotta that goin' around) allowing their opposition to go down one in 4, +50 for the good guys. Had our intermediate South realized the importance of rising to play his A, the team would have scored positively in both rooms (50 + 50) — a three IMP swing for "we." Instead, the opposing 5 game (+400) minus the 4 set netted the opposition +350 and 8 IMPs.

Match Total: We - 7 IMPs. They - 12 IMPs.