ONE LOSER FINE, TWO LOSERS TERRIBLE

A.N. Onymous once said, “What he doesn’t know would make a library anybody would be proud of.” Well, anyone who knows everything in my bridge library would make a partner anybody would be proud of. For sure he would know the correct way to play today’s four-spade contract. West guesses well, leading a club. After East has played three rounds of the suit, how should South continue? East opened with a weak no-trump, promising 12-14 points, which is popular in those parts of the world that used to be known as the British Commonwealth. After South overcalled in his major, North raised to game. South has to assume that trumps are breaking 3-2, but he must avoid walking into a trump promotion. The wrong play is a spade to dummy’s king. If East can win that and lead the 13th club, the defenders must get the trump promotion. If East has only two spades, declarer can succeed by leading a spade honor from his hand at trick four. But with the given distribution, East wins with the ace and leads the last club. West’s ruff effects the trump promotion. The correct play is to cross to the board with a diamond before leading a low trump to the queen. (The diamonds must be 3-2. If West had a singleton, surely he would have led it at trick one.) Finally, play the spade jack from hand. Now the contract is assured. You can ruff the 13th club low in hand, overruffing West on the board if necessary. Look for a line of play that will work whatever the lie of the cards.