ACESONBRIDGE

In today’s deal, the defenders did not work out where the setting trick was coming from until it was too late.

Against four hearts, East took his top two clubs, then played the club seven. South correctly threw a spade on that, ruffed by West, who shifted to a diamond. Declarer guessed nicely to rise with the diamond ace and take the ruffing finesse in diamonds against East. With trumps now splitting evenly, declarer could play two rounds of hearts ending in dummy and throw his two spade losers on dummy’s minor-suit tops. East should have seen three likely tricks for the defense after the possible promotion in clubs, but he could not rely on the diamonds to provide a fourth because even if South had a doubleton, declarer would be able to pitch a diamond on a club winner. East needed to find his partner with the spade queen and to shift to the spade king at trick two. If declarer ducks the spade king shift, then East can, for example, revert to playing the club ace and another club, promoting a trump trick. Declarer can do no better by winning the spade ace, drawing trumps and ruffing out the diamond king before playing his second club. East wins and exits in spades, and West overtakes the jack to cash out the spades.

Even after three rounds of clubs, though, there is still a remarkable defense. West must not ruff the club seven, but instead discard a diamond! Declarer has one discard, but that is not enough.