If you are lucky, optimism will work

G.K. Chesterton said, “What a glorious garden of wonders (the lights of Broadway) would be to anyone who was lucky enough to be unable to read.”

We also have the saying that it is better to be lucky than good. I never have understood that — surely it is best to be lucky and good. Also, sometimes, you need to hope for the best — as in this deal.

South is in one no-trump, and West leads the heart king. What should declarer do?

They say that no-trump contracts are easier than suit contracts, which is usually true, but occasionally no-trump can be a real struggle — as here.

South can see only five top tricks: one spade, one heart, one diamond and two clubs. He needs to be lucky — but which lucky breaks should he assume?

It is unlikely that the hearts are 3-3, given West’s lead. Instead, South should play for a 3-3 club split and a winning spade finesse.

Now comes the problem of the first trick — should declarer duck?

Surely when losing the one club trick, the defenders can arrange for West to take it, so there is no point in ducking. (Those who like to employ the Rule of Seven will know not to duck. Subtract from seven the total number of cards held in the suit led and hold up for that number of rounds. Here, seven from seven is zero.) Ducking risks a potentially lethal diamond shift — not that it is here.

Then South should lose a club trick. West wins, cashes three hearts and switches to a diamond.

Declarer wins, runs the clubs (starting with his king) and plays a spade to the queen. Luck is at home.