Bridge

Opening lead — three of spades.

Notrump contracts generally feature a race between the defenders and declarer for the establishment of tricks. That is why the opening leader so often starts with his long suit.

The defenders, having the opening lead, thus get the jump on declarer in the race to build up tricks. This advantage is usually offset by the fact that the declaring side has more high cards, but if the defenders have enough high cards and a long-enough suit, the tempo they gain will often make the difference between the success and failure of a contract.

The battle is often touch-and-go because of the timing factor. For example, the declarer may misguess which of two suits to try to establilsh, and if he chooses the wrong one, he may lose the race.

Today’s hand features just such a situation. South got a spade lead and won East’s king with the ace. He played a club to the jack, and East took his ace and returned a spade. The 10 lost to the jack, and a spade continuation established West’s suit.

Declarer now had only eight tricks. When he later led a heart, West grabbed the ace and cashed two spades to set the contract.

Actually, the contract was a certainty from the start with correct play. South should have attacked hearts before he touched the clubs.

At trick two, he should cross to dummy with a diamond and lead a low heart toward his hand. If East has the ace, he cannot afford to play it because that would give South his ninth trick (three hearts, four diamonds and two spades). East would therefore have to play low, allowing declarer to win with the queen. South can then drive out the ace of clubs to assure nine tricks.

If West has the ace of hearts (the actual situation), the queen would lose, but West could not make a damaging spade return with declarer holding the Q-10 of the suit. Regardless of what West returned, South would have ample time to tackle the clubs and make at least four notrump.