There is nothing like careful defense

In 1897, Sears, Roebuck offered its potential customers this interesting piece of advice: “If you don’t find it in the index, look very carefully through the entire catalogue.”

For a bridge player, when you don’t find your opening lead leaping from your hand, look very carefully at every card and recall the bidding.

In this deal, you are West. What would you lead after the natural auction?

North’s opening bid was debatable. South’s two-club response was natural and game-forcing. North’s two-no-trump rebid denied five diamonds. (He would have rebid two diamonds with five or more.) Then, South should have rebid either three clubs (and passed North’s three-no-trump continuation) or quietly raised to three no-trump. Many pairs would treat four clubs as Gerber, asking for aces.

The deal was played 15 times at Bridge Base Online. Only one pair reached three no-trump (by South after one diamond - two clubs - two hearts three clubs - three spades - three notrump), and West found the disastrous lead of the spade eight.

Every other table was in five clubs. Nine made it, usually after West led the spade ace and continued with the spade eight. East won with the queen and thought the king was cashing. However, South ruffed, drew trumps and claimed.

Four who went down could have succeeded. At the last table, my wife was West. She led the spade ace. Perhaps I should have played the king, but I actually followed with the four because we use upside-down signals. However, now, very carefully, my wife cashed the diamond ace! Then another spade beat the contract.