BRIDGE

GOOD ENOUGH East-West vulnerable. South deals. Opening lead: King of Spades A 4-4 fit will usually play a trick better than a 5-3 fit, and this deal illustrates why – in a 4-4 fit, a ruff in either hand will increase your trump tricks. Six diamonds was cold! Perhaps North should have bid four diamonds at his second turn to investigate this possibility, but he was afraid that bid would deny a club control. The 5-3 heart fit would be good enough if South could make 12 tricks. Declarer won the opening spade lead with the ace and took stock – he liked his chances. The auction marked West with at least five spades and he was also likely to hold the king of clubs. If so, this would be an easy one. South drew trumps, cashed his four diamond tricks, and began to cash his remaining trumps. This was the position when the last trump was led:

(SEE DIAGRAM BOTTOM RIGHT)

West was cooked! He discarded a spade and South had a pleasant choice. He could discard a spade from dummy and exit with a spade, forcing West to lead away from his club king, or discard a club from dummy and lead a spade, establishing dummy’s long spade. Happy days!