The bell that rings for thee

Edward Young, in his most famous work, “Night Thoughts,” wrote, “The bell strikes one. We take no note of time. But from its loss.”

If only the bell would ring at the bridge table when we needed to find a critical play. The game would be so much easier.

Today’s deal provides a good example of how the campanologist would enjoy an advantage. South is in six no-trump. After West leads the heart nine, what should declarer do?

South’s two-no-trump response showed a balanced hand with 8 points or more, telling partner that they surely had a slam. North used Gerber to ask for aces.

Declarer sees only eight top tricks: two spades, four hearts (given the lead) and two diamonds. Another five winners will surely come from clubs. But a suspicious South realizes that the clubs must be 4-0; otherwise, there wouldn’t be a problem. Someone taking advantage of the ringing bell would win the first trick in hand and play a club to dummy’s seven!

But now let’s damp the bell. South wins East’s heart jack with his ace and plays a club to the jack. Suddenly the contract must fail! So what is the right play?

Declarer should win the first trick with dummy’s heart queen and continue with the club king. Suppose West wins with the ace (it doesn’t help to duck) and exits with a spade. South plays a heart to his ace and leads a club, capturing West’s nine with dummy’s jack. Back to hand with a diamond, declarer finesses dummy’s club seven and claims two spades, three hearts, two diamonds and five clubs.