THIS IS WHY BRIDGE CAN BE FRUSTRATING

Sam Ewing, a former major league baseball player who hit .464 in his junior year at the University of Tennessee, said, “Nothing is as frustrating as arguing with someone who knows what he’s talking about.” Maybe even worse is arguing with someone who believes he is right and won’t back down when you know he is wrong.

Bridge can be frustrating because there always seem to be exceptions to the “rules.” There are two in today’s deal. How should the defense and declarer-play go in four spades after West leads a fourth-highest heart two to East’s ace, and South wins the second trick with his heart king?

“Always return partner’s lead.” East had that ringing in his ears, but it is much more a rule for notrump than for suits. If he had shifted to a diamond at trick two, he would have defeated the contract.

After winning trick two, declarer cashed his spade ace, played a spade to the queen, ruffed the heart jack in his hand, cashed the club ace, played a club to the king and led another club.

East correctly deduced that his partner still had the club jack; otherwise, South would have taken the club finesse. So, in an echo of yesterday’s deal and thinking “don’t ruff partner’s winner,” East discarded the diamond four.

Yes, West won the trick, but he was endplayed. If he led a diamond, South would score his king. Or if West returned a heart, declarer would ruff with dummy’s spade queen and discard a diamond from hand. Either way, the contract was home.

East should have ruffed the third club and switched to a diamond.