Bridge

The game was matchpoint duplicate. After South’s raise to three clubs, North’s three spades accepted South’s invitation to game and showed three-card support. North’s third bid was logically forcing; otherwise the partnership might play at the three level in a weak 4-3 fit.

Four spades was a good contract, but declarer had his pocket picked by East. After the defense took two hearts, West led a club. South won in his hand and led a trump to dummy’s jack. If East takes the king, South will later lead a trump to the ace, see West discard, and finesse against East’s ten.

East wouldn’t follow that script. He knew that South had a five-card spade suit, so when dummy played the jack of spades, East followed smoothly with the eight.

South feared that East had a singleton or maybe the 10-8 doubleton. So South got back to his hand and led the queen of trumps. If East had indeed held no more trumps, South would have been a hero; as it was, East created a second trump trick for himself.