ACES ON BRIDGE

An early defensive slip gave declarer a window in three notrump. Should he have capitalized on it? West’s sporting two-heart call might have cost blood if the hand had been a misfit. As it was, the call only served to give information away when North raised to three no-trump.

The opening lead of the heart king saw East unblock the jack in perfect tempo — necessary in case West held the heart 10. But as it was, West reasonably shifted to the diamond 10, worried his partner had a singleton.

Declarer now took four rounds of diamonds ending in hand, then cashed his club tops. If West held a singleton club, South was planning to play West for king-queen-low in spades, endplaying him with the heart ace and another heart. As it was, declarer knew West’s shape but was no longer in position to make his game.

He did his best by advancing a low spade. If West had honor-10 in spades, or king-queen doubleton, declarer would have had a chance to make his game. But West went in with the spade queen and accurately returned a spade, breaking up any endplay against East.

To succeed, declarer needed to play a low spade from hand at trick three. It is likely West would have won and continued diamonds or spades as before, but declarer could duck a second spade, then duck a heart. With the loser count at four, the stage would be set for a black-suit squeeze against East. Declarer would win the return, run the diamonds ending in dummy and cash the heart ace, turning the screw on East.

“To attract good luck to oneself, it is necessary to take advantage of opportunities.”

— George S. Clason

ANSWER: It is rare to protect in this sequence, but your hand is perfect for a balancing double here, with two small in the opponent’s suit and four spades. Doubling could be necessary to get your side to two spades, thus competing the part-score. You may even pick up a penalty with your four defensive tricks if partner passes it out.