IT'S HARD TO RESIST THE TEMPTATION

Franklin P. Jones, whose “Put it this Way” column was the longest continuously published feature in the Saturday Evening Post,” said, “Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing-up, a sound set of values — and witnesses.”

A bridge player always has witnesses — his partner and the opponents. So, if he cannot resist temptation when he should, it will not go unnoticed.

In today’s deal, which temptation should South resist? West leads the diamond king against four hearts. What should happen?

After South opened one heart, and West made a full-blooded four-diamond pre-emptive overcall, North was worried that his side was being talked out of a slam. But he remembered that when fixed, stay fixed.

Declarer seemed to have 10 easy tricks: two spades, six hearts, one diamond and one club. In addition, there were chances for extra winners in the black suits. However, South could not resist the temptation to try to win the first trick. But when East ruffed the diamond ace and shifted to the club jack, declarer could not recover. He tried the club finesse, but West won, cashed the diamond queen, and continued with the diamond jack. A moment later, when the spade finesse lost, South was down one.

Since West’s overcall had announced an eightcard suit, declarer should have played low from the board at trick one ... and at trick two. East can ruff away the diamond ace at trick three, but South overruffs, draws trumps, and runs the spade jack to take three spades, six hearts and one club.

Copyright United Feature Syndicate (Asia Features)