PROMOTION RESULTS IN HIGHER PAY

Anthony Hope, a British author, wrote, "It doesn't do to be quixotic. Telling the truth to people who misunderstand you is really promoting falsehood."

That can happen at the bridge table. When defending, if you have a partner who watches your cards, then signal accurately, not quixotically. In contrast, if he pays no attention, play randomly, hoping declarer, thinking you are signaling, draws erroneous conclusions.

However, another of Hope's words applies to this deal, which was played in a high-stakes Chicago game. Would you prefer to declare in or defend against four spades?

South might have passed out three no-trump, but that contract would have failed if East had led a low club (perhaps after cashing one or two top hearts).

With the trumps lying as they were, declarer seemed to have only three losers: one spade and two hearts. But the defenders generated a fourth trick.

West led a fourth-highest heart two. East could now read South for 6=2=5=0 distribution. Also, presumably declarer held the diamond ace for his opening bid. If so, the defense had to collect two hearts and two spades.

East won with the heart king, cashed the heart ace and continued with his third heart. After taking that trick on the board, declarer played a spade to his jack. West won with the king and, trusting his partner's line of defense, led his remaining heart. East ruffed with the spade queen, uppercutting declarer to promote a trump trick. South overruffed with the spade ace and cashed the spade 10, but now West's spade nine was high.