If you hope, assume good fortune

Mae West said, “I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.”

Sometimes at the bridge table, you will need to be fortunate to make — or break — the contract. Then just assume the censors are placing the cards where you require them to be.

In this deal, for example, how should South play in five clubs after West leads a low spade?

South’s two-club rebid promised at least a six-card suit and minimum opening values. It also denied three hearts because he had not made a support double. Then North bid what he hoped his side could make.

South saw that he had only eight top tricks: one spade, one heart and six clubs. After losing two diamonds, he could have gained a ruff on the board for an extra trick. But that still left him two short. He needed three heart winners. Who had the heart king?

Since West had not led a diamond or spade honor, he presumably did not have touching honors in those suits (except perhaps ace-queenjack of diamonds). This made it almost censor-proof that West had the heart king.

South won with his spade ace, cashed his club ace and played a heart to dummy’s jack. When the finesse worked, declarer ruffed a heart high in his hand, overtook the club queen with dummy’s king and ruffed another heart high. Then, he returned to the board by leading his carefully conserved club four to dummy’s seven and discarded his remaining spades on the heart ace (which swallowed West’s king) and heart queen. Finally, South pointed out that he would ruff his third diamond on the board.

Look for the Saturday Bridge and Chess and local Bridge results in the new Saturday Fun & Games section