A useful play to have in mind

George Burns said, “It’s hard for me to get used to these changing times. I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty.”

At the bridge table, memory is very important. Not only do you need to remember the bidding and cards already played, but also the key textbook plays.

In this deal, who comes out on top in four clubs by South after West leads the heart eight?

East opened with a modern pre-empt — if you have a long suit and a weak hand at favorable vulnerability, do not pass. Then, North should have balanced with three no-trump, a contract that would have made easily. But North unwisely made a takeout double, then passed South’s four-club advance, to end in limbo. (Yes, South might have overbid with three no-trump.)

Declarer knew that West’s opening lead was a singleton. He won with dummy’s ace, drew trumps, cashed the heart queen and spade ace (West signaled with the queen), and continued with another spade, giving East the lead with his king. What happened next?

East shifted to the diamond three. South played low from his hand, and West won with his nine. However, when West exited with the spade queen, South ruffed and cashed the heart king, discarding a diamond from the dummy. Declarer lost only one spade and two diamonds.

East should have realized that his side needed three diamond tricks immediately. When that is the case, East must lead an honor so that declarer cannot duck the trick with effect. Here, if East had led the diamond jack at trick eight, the contract would have failed.