Trust partner's card to read deal

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Here are two interesting proverbs: “A friend's eye is a good mirror” (Celtic) and “If you have a good friend, you don't need a mirror” (German).

Yesterday, I mentioned that being able to use a mirror to peek into the other players' hands would make bridge much easier. Sometimes, though, the bids made and, especially, the cards played can be as helpful as placing a hand face up on the table.

However, first today, look at the West hand. What would you lead against three no-trump after South opens two notrump, and North raises?

This deal was played at Bridge Base Online. Although some experts prefer not to lead away from an ace against no-trump, there is a time and a place for everything. Here, the spade two worked well. Declarer took the trick and played a heart to the queen, but East won and returned a spade. The defenders had four tricks in the bank and had to get one more in a minor.

Only three Wests chose the spade two. One tried the club six, which was a bad idea after North had shunned Stayman and transfers.

By far the most popular choice was the heart 10. What should East have made of that?

Given that East had the heart nine, he should have anticipated the 10's being the higher card from a doubleton (or perhaps an imaginative choice from a tripleton). In either case, it was time to shift. The spade-jack lead at trick two would have defeated the contract. At the tables, though, every East except one returned a heart, and the oddball tried his singleton club!

Look for the Saturday Bridge and Chess and local Bridge results in the new Saturday Fun & Games section Hint: Smash the kingside. Solution: 1. Nf6! (threatens 2. Qxh7ch) Rg7 2. Nxh7! If ... Rxh7, 3. Qf8 mate!