Contract Bridge

As the play begins, declarer of course can’t see how the missing cards are divided, but in many deals he can compel the defenders to disclose their distribution and in that way accomplish his mission.

Let’s say you’re South in six notrump, and West leads the jack of hearts. You can immediately count 11 tricks — two spades, three hearts, three diamonds and three clubs — and have numerous chances for a 12th. Either minor suit could be divided 3-3, or, failing that, you might guess which way to take the two-way spade finesse.

There is no way of knowing at trick one which way the wind will blow, so let’s say you start by playing three rounds of hearts in order to learn how that suit is divided. This proves helpful, because East shows out on the third round, discarding a spade. You therefore know that West started with five hearts and East with two.

Continuing your voyage of discovery, you cash the A-Q-K of clubs, hoping for a 3-3 division. But again, East discards a spade on the third round, and you learn that West started with four clubs and East with two.

The investigative process continues when you next try your luck in diamonds by cashing the A-K-Q. This time you learn when West discards a heart that he started with two diamonds and East with four.

By now you know each defender’s original distribution. West began with five hearts, two diamonds, four clubs and, hence, two spades; East had two hearts, four diamonds, two clubs and, hence, five spades.

The rest is easy enough. You don’t have to bother with guessing which way to take the spade finesse. You simply put East on lead with your remaining diamond, forcing him to return a spade and so hand you the 12th trick on a silver platter.