Bridge ONE PEEK IS WORTH ALL OF YOUR FINESSES

Henry Bromel wrote in a “Northern Exposure” script, “They say dreams are the windows of the soul — take a peek, and you can see the inner workings, the nuts and bolts.”

So, today, let’s look at a deal’s nuts and bolts. What will happen in three no-trump if all 52 cards are face up on the table?

In the auction, South’s opening bid was borderline, but at least she had a good suit, one she would have liked her partner to lead should they end on defense. When North responded one heart, I agree with South’s one no-trump. Never rebid in a five-card suit unless there is nothing else even semi-sensible to do. Then North used New Minor Forcing, hoping his partner had three-card heart support.

At first glance, it looks as though declarer will benefit from the lucky distribution — clubs 3-3, and the diamond ace and spade jack onside. But West was psychic. Despite dummy being known to have five hearts, West still led a heart. If she had selected the 10, East would have taken dummy’s jack with his queen and shifted to a spade or diamond. West would have won with her ace and pushed through another heart. The defensive spots would have been just good enough to build up three tricks in the suit. (Exchange the heart five and heart four, and three notrump is cold!)

At the table, though, West, not benefiting from seeing the other hands, led the heart three. If declarer had played low from the board, she would have made it home, but she put up the jack. Now the contract had to fail as just described.