QUICK CROSSWORD

said, “Do not dwell in the past. Do not dream of the future. Concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

That is a reasonable approach, but often, and especially at the bridge table, you should concentrate your mind on how your present action will affect the future — in our case, the outcome of the contract.

Look at today’s deal. What happens in four spades after West leads a low heart, and East takes the first trick?

West wondered about jumping to four hearts, as per the Law of Total Tricks advising bidding to the 10- trick level with a 10- card fit. But his hand was very soft and the vulnerability was adverse. ( In fact, though, four hearts goes down only one trick.)

When the deal was originally played, East won with his heart king and continued with the heart ace. However, declarer ruffed on the board, cashed the spade king ( taking the slight risk that West had all four trumps), played a spade to his ace and ran the club 10. This lost to East’s king, but South had only three losers: one spade, one heart and one club.

East should have asked himself from where four defensive winners might come. He could see one heart and one club, but dummy’s club suit was threatening. He had to hope partner had a trump trick, and that they could establish a diamond winner. However, there was no time to lose. East had to shift to a low diamond at trick two. Then, when in with the club king, he could have played a second diamond, and the defenders would have gotten one trick in each suit. Copyright United Feature Syndicate ( Asia Features)