At a glance

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Work interactive puzzles online at Dispatch.com/ puzzles.

Both vulnerable, South deals NORTH

O 9 7 5 2

N A J 10 6 4

M J5

L 7 2

SOUTH

O A K J 8 3

N K 3

M K 9 4 2

L Q 6

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1O Pass 2O Pass 3M Pass 3O All pass Opening lead: Five of L

An early part of learning the game is memorizing “rules” that serve as useful guidelines for new players. “Second hand low” and “third hand high” are useful tips for defenders and they are usually right. A good defender, however, will look for opportunities to break those “rules” when circumstances call for it. West in today’s deal was Danish expert Knut Blakset.

Blakset started with a low club to his partner’s ace and East found the deceptive shift to a low diamond. South could have risen with his king, but he cannot be seriously faulted for playing low. Blakset won with his queen, cashed the king of clubs, and led a diamond to East’s ace. Another diamond was ruffed in dummy and South now had to play the trump suit for no losers.

The normal play holding nine trumps is to play for the drop of the queen. South led a spade to his ace and got the bad news. South’s trumps were good enough to pick up all of East’s trumps, but he needed two entries to dummy to take two finesses. South led the three of hearts from his hand intending to insert dummy’s jack. This would give him two dummy entries if West held the queen of hearts.

West held the queen of hearts all right, but he played it when South led the three! No second hand low for him. South won with dummy’s ace, but that was his only dummy entry and he drifted down one. Nice play by West!