Is It EasierWith Two, Not Three?

DonMarquis, a dramatist, humorist, journalist and poet who died in 1937, said, “I never think at all when I write. Nobody can do two things at the same time and do them both well.”

That is interesting -- but how did he decide what words to put onto the paper? When you are the declarer, you should worry about all four suits, though occasionally one or two will look after themselves. What about today’s deal? How should South play in five diamonds after West leads a top-ofnothing spade seven?

If the vulnerability were different, perhapsWest would have continued with five spades over five diamonds. Note that five spades goes down two, which is fine except when vulnerable against nonvulnerable opponents.

AT

Phillip Alder

Declarer ruffed the spade on the board, led a trump to his hand, ruffed his last spade and played a club to his king. West won with his ace -- gulp one -- and returned the club 10 -- gulp two. Now, when East got in with his heart king, he cashed the club jack to defeat the contract.

North was unhappy. He pointed out that East had to have either the heart king or club ace for his opening bid. So, as is often the case with this holding, it was right to lead toward the heart jack, not to take the normal finesse. If the jack lost to West’s king,

East would have the club ace and all would be well. Here, though, if East ducked his heart king, he would lose it. Or, if he took the trick, in a moment, declarer would cash his heart jack, cross to the dummy with a trump and discard his two low clubs on the heart ace and queen.