THE MIRACLES CAN CONTINUE

At whose funeral did Jennifer Granholm, then the Michigan governor, say, “... an improbable warrior that was leading an unlikely army of waitresses and street sweepers and shopkeepers and auto mechanics”?

In today’s deal, South seems to have an improbable chance to make his contract of three notrump after West leads the spade queen. Do you see a way to succeed?

East’s weak jump overcall of two diamonds wouldn’t appeal to everyone, especially at the prevailing vulnerability. But his partner was a passed hand, and East thought it probable that his opponents had at least a game available. Over two diamonds, South elected not to make a negative double because he was short in spades. This proved fortuitous because four hearts was doomed to failure.

West decided to lead from his better spade sequence. This seemed to defeat three no-trump because when declarer conceded a club trick, his last spade stopper would be knocked out. Then, when South led a diamond, the defenders would win with the ace and run the spades.

However, there was a winning line. After taking trick one with dummy’s spade king, declarer called for the diamond three.

If East won with the ace, South would have nine tricks via two spades, two hearts, three diamonds and two clubs. Or, if East played low, declarer would win with his king and concede a club trick. Then his nine tricks would be two spades, two hearts, one diamond and four clubs.

It was an unusual example of Morton’s Fork.

Gov. Granholm was eulogizing at Rosa Park’s funeral.