QUICK CROSSWORD
Phyllis Diller quipped, “It’s an ill wind that blows when you leave the hairdresser.” That’s similar to the sudden rainstorm after you have washed your car.
There is one card- play technique that a hairdresser should find easy to spot, but is harder for the rest of us. What is that play, and how does it arise in today's deal?
East’s two- no- trump overcall showed at least 55 in the minors. ( Some pairs treat it as any two suits; others prefer it to be natural, despite the danger of being at such a high level.)
South rebid three hearts as a game- try, which North was happy to accept with his helpful heart honor and side- suit ace.
South saw 10 top tricks: five spades, four hearts and one club. However, after winning trick one with dummy's club ace and drawing two rounds of trumps, East's diamond discard was a blow.
Now South ran his heart winners, discarding a club loser from the board. What did he do next?
Declarer exited with a club, planning to ruff the third round on the board. However, East took that trick and led a club, which West ruffed with the spade eight. Then a diamond to East’s queen and another club promoted West’s spade jack — down one.
Instead of playing a club at trick eight, South should have led his diamond. East could have won, cashed a club and led another club, which West could have ruffed, but declarer would have lost only one spade, one diamond and one club. This is called a scissors coup because it cuts the defensive communications and stops the trump promotion. Copyright United Feature Syndicate ( Asia Features)