Bridge

Love all; dealer South

North

43

!A 8 3

#K Q J 10 9 8

25 4 3

West East

410 8 4A 9 7 6 4

!J 10 9 5 2 !7 4

#6 4 2 #A 7 5

2A Q 2 28 7 6

South

4K Q J 5 2

!K Q 6

#3

2K J 10 9

Some years ago, I gave the North-South hands of this deal to a class of "improvers". I was well pleased when most of them said they could see no problem in making Three No-trumps; I was less pleased when they all went down.

South opened One Spade, North bid Two Diamonds and South, with an awkward rebid, chose Two No-trumps. North raised to game and West led the jack of hearts against Three No-trumps. In order to preserve dummy's entry to diamonds, it was natural for delarer to win in hand. So far, so good, but at trick two all the Souths started on diamonds. East, who could see little point in ducking, won and returned a heart.

Suddenly South found he had communication problems. If he won in hand, there would be no sure entry to the spade he needed for his ninth trick. Instead he won on the table, but it was now or never for the five diamond winners. The trouble arose when declarer had to find five discards. He parted with three spades and two clubs, but when dummy led a spade, east went in with his ace and returned a club to leave South a trick short.

What should declarer have done? As one spade trick is required, the right time to establish it is immediately. Try the king of spades at trick two. Say East wins and plays a heart; South wins in hand, cashes just one spade winner, then switches to diamonds to ensure his contract.