When they bid, they help you

Morarji Desai, who was the fourth prime minister of India between 1977 and 1979, said, “Self-help must precede help from others.”

At the bridge table, though, often you help yourself after an opponent has helped you — provided you with the key piece of information

How does that apply in this deal? How should South plan the play in four spades after West leads the club king to declarer’s bare ace?

In the old days, West would have passed over one spade. To overcall at the two-level required opening count. Now, though, one bids with the faintest of excuses. Here, two hearts takes up considerable bidding space, perhaps making responder’s life difficult if he does not have spade support.

When the dummy appeared, declarer thought he was in clover. Surely one of the diamond finesses was winning, and he could take at least six spades, one heart, three diamonds and one club. So, he drew trumps and ran the diamond 10. East won with the jack and shifted to the heart nine, which was ducked around to dummy’s queen. Declarer ruffed a club and ran the diamond nine. Disaster! East took that trick and led his second heart, giving the defenders two diamonds and two hearts.

South grumbled about bad luck, but North knew better. He had noticed that when East led the heart nine, South, knowing East was short in hearts, should have played his king. West would have won with the ace and continued with the heart jack, but he could not have gotten in to cash a second heart winner. South would have taken six spades, one heart, two diamonds and one club.