Look carefully at the key spots

Mark Twain said, “I was born modest; not all over, but in spots.”

Do you know someone who keeps her -- or his -- house absolutely spotless? If so, suggest that she -- or he -- take up bridge. You have an expert in the making. It can be so important to keep a careful track of the spot cards -- as in today’s deal.

South was in three no-trump after the most straightforward sequence. West led fourth-highest from his longest and strongest. What should have happened after that?

East was in a quandary at trick one. If West had the spade ace, East wanted to win the first trick with the king and continue with the queen to show that he started with only those two spades. But if South took the first trick with the spade ace, West would automatically place the queen with declarer as well.

Not taking that risk, East won the queen and continued with the king. After winning that trick too, East shifted to a diamond. But declarer won and drove out the club ace to make his contract.

West did not look closely enough at the spade spots. When South followed to trick two, West had seen every spade except the jack and six. Since he had the nine and seven, he should have overtaken East’s king with his ace and used the nine to drive out declarer’s jack. Then, when West got in with the club ace, he could have cashed the spade seven and three to defeat the contract.

This would have been wrong only if East had a third spade, and South could have cashed eight winners in the red suits, which was unlikely.