Contract Bridge

Entries pose a problem in the play of many deals. In the case of declarer, an abundance of winners in either his own hand or dummy is worthless if there is no way to reach them.

The defenders might likewise be faced with this difficulty. Either defender might have tricks that cannot be taken because there is no entry card in the hand that holds the good tricks. The defenders can sometimes solve this problem if they use their resources expeditiously. Here is such a case.

Let’s first assume that West leads a heart in response to East’s overcall, and that East covers dummy’s queen with the king, which South ducks. As a result of this communications-breaking play by declarer, he makes the contract.

If East continues the suit, South finesses the ten and leads a club. No matter when or how the defenders take their A-K of clubs, East’s hearts wind up withering on the vine, and South eventually scores three club tricks to make the contract.

Note that if declarer slips by winning the opening heart lead, he goes down. Whenever he leads a club, West wins with the king and returns a heart to East’s jack, and East leads a third heart to establish his suit. East still has the club ace as an entry, and South goes down two.

Note also, though, that East can defeat the contract if he plays the seven of hearts on the opening lead! By allowing declarer to win the first trick with the queen, he maintains a heart contact with West that prevents South from scoring more than seven tricks.

Thus, if declarer plays a club at trick two, West takes his king and returns a heart to East’s K-J, driving out South’s ace on this trick or the next one. The race for the establishment of tricks is then won by the defense, and South winds up taking second money.