BRIDGE A world champion has fireside chats

Mike Lawrence, who is a three-time Bermuda Bowl world team champion, has written several excellent books. The title of his latest, “Insights on Bridge: Bidding, Play and Defense, Book 2” (Baron Barclay Bridge Supply) is selfexplanatory. In each of 96 short chapters, Lawrence discusses one hand (a bidding problem) or two hands (declarer-play or defense). He says that these books “won’t make you an expert. But (they) will start you on the path to being a good player and good partner.”

In this deal from the book, cover the East and South hands. Against three no-trump, West leads his fourth-highest spade four: 10, three, eight. Declarer then plays a heart to his queen. How should West defend?

A good rule for authors is to keep the auction simple if it is a card-play deal -- unless the bidding supplies a key piece of information for declarer or a defender.

West should start by checking the highcard points. He has 10, dummy holds 12, and declarer indicated 15-17. That leaves 1-3 for East. He probably has one club honor: the jack, queen or king.

Next, usually third hand plays high, but when he cannot do that, he gives count. Here, East’s lowest spade, the three, showed an odd number of spades: one or three. If he started with a singleton, the contract is surely cast-iron. But if he began with three spades, declarer is down to a singleton ace. West should win the second trick with his heart king and lead the spade two. When South’s ace does come fluttering down, West waits to get in with his club ace to cash three spade winners.