Opportunities for both sides

The Senior Life Master was ready to start another class.

George Bernard Shaw (he began) claimed that a life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but also more useful than a life spent doing nothing. Let’s look at this bridge deal and see if you agree. (The SLM referred his students to the first page of the notes.)

Against three no-trump, West led his fourth-highest heart seven: three, nine, queen. South played a spade to dummy’s queen and called for the club four: three, jack, king. West shifted to a spade. Declarer won in hand and played another club, claiming 11 tricks: three spades, two hearts, three diamonds and three clubs. How many mistakes were made?

(The SLM gave them a minute to analyze the deal.)

No doubt you have seen one defensive error. When declarer led the club off the board, East shouldn’t have spent his life making a mistake by doing nothing. He should have put up the ace and returned his last heart. This would have established his partner’s suit while West still had an entry in the club king. The contract would have gone down one.

However, declarer also made a mistake — by doing something. He had only eight top tricks, so he had to develop a ninth in clubs, which would involve losing the lead twice. If the hearts were 5-2, the contract was in jeopardy. As it was clear West had led from the heart king, declarer should have played the heart four at trick one. This would have cut the defenders’ communication in the suit.

When you have two stoppers in the suit led and there are two high cards to drive out, it is usually right to duck the first trick.