DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Bad timing can ruin a comedy skit, a stock purchase, a golf swing or the efficiency of a car’s engine. It was also declarer’s downfall in today’s deal.

When West led a trump against four hearts, South rightly placed East with the queen. South won with dummy’s ace and next let the queen of spades ride. West won and led a second trump: deuce, 10, king.

Declarer next took the A-J of spades to pitch a diamond from dummy, cashed the K-A of diamonds and ruffed a diamond. He took the ace of clubs, but when East won the next club and cashed his queen of trumps, South had a diamond loser. Down one.

South mistimed. If East has Q-10-6 of trumps (likely), South can’t let him get in after his queen of trumps is a winner. At Trick Two, dummy leads a low club.

East wins and leads a spade. West takes the king and leads another trump, but South is safe. He wins with the king, takes two spades to pitch a diamond from dummy, and crossruffs, losing only to East’s high trump.