Safety first is the order of the day

Confucius said, “The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come.” Substitute “bridge player” for “superior man,” and you have a recipe for success. In this deal, for example, where would NorthSouth like to rest; and if they stopped in six spades, how should South plan the play after West leads the heart king? If the spade suit is running for five tricks, seven clubs and seven spades are almost cold. The declarer takes 12 top black-suit tricks plus a heart ruff in spades or a diamond ruff in clubs. Here, of course, seven spades is hopeless; and what lead by East would defeat seven clubs? In the auction, after North rebids two clubs, South should continue with a forcing two hearts. Then North should support spades; I like three spades to express a suitable hand, but can understand only two with such weak trumps. Over either bid, South should support clubs. Then North might bid three or four diamonds; or repeat spades; or, if his partner would read it correctly, jump in hearts to show his shortage. It isn’t clear-cut how to proceed. In six spades, after ruffing on the board at trick one, it is tempting to try to draw trumps. When the bad split comes to light, declarer will presumably shift to clubs, but West can ruff in and continue hearts to defeat the contract. To allow for a bad trump split, South should play a spade to his 10 at trick two. Then there is still a trump in the dummy to take care of another heart lead from West. Finally, a trump lead will capsize seven clubs.