Bridge

In today’s deal, what happens in three no-trump after West leads his fourth-highest heart?

North was planning to rebid three clubs to invite game, but when South rebid two no-trump, guaranteeing at least two clubs, North went for the nine-trick game. (A three-club rebid here by North should be treated as game-forcing. Also, if you use two-over-one game-forcing, I believe that an immediate threeclub response should be game-invitational.)

After a heart to East’s ace, declarer has four top tricks. Obviously, he hopes to establish and run the clubs; and he will do just that if East is a signed-up member of the “return partner’s lead in no-trump” club. South will win trick two with his heart king, drive out the club ace and take at least nine tricks.

But a thoughtful East will see the threat posed by the clubs. As long as declarer has only two clubs, the suit can be isolated if dummy’s side entry can be removed.

At trick two, East must shift to the diamond king. Then the contract will fail.

This sacrifice of a high honor to kill an opponent’s entry is called the Merrimac Coup.