Try for any chance, however unlikely

Dr. Thomas Fuller, an English physician and preacher, wrote, “Beware of telling an improbable truth.” I hope that doesn’t apply to this column! When you have your back against the wall, move the table and chair into the room so that you may sit more comfortably. But when the bridge begins and your contract puts your back against the proverbial wall, hunt exhaustively for any chance to win the required number of tricks.

Today’s deal is taken from a tournament in the south of France. After the most common bidding sequence, South was in three no-trump. (North was right not to look for the 11-trick game in clubs.) West led off with his top hearts, declarer holding up his ace until the third round, and East following throughout. South, thinking bridge was an easy game, cashed his club ace, then led the club jack, preparing to overtake with dummy’s queen. However, he was stopped in his tracks when West discarded a spade. How should declarer have continued?

His nine easy tricks had shrunk dramatically, but he did have one chance, albeit faint, of making his contract. He had to find East with the spade ace, the spade king and either 4=3=2=4 or 5=3=1=4 distribution. South won trick five with his club jack, cashed the diamond ace and diamond king, then led a spade to dummy’s jack.

It was declarer’s lucky day. East won that trick but was unable to stop South from getting into the dummy to cash the remainder of the club suit. East had no red-suit card left in his hand to get to his partner’s heart winners.