GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE OF SUCCESS

Mel Brooks said, “If Shaw and Einstein couldn’t beat death, what chance have I got? Practically none.”

Sometimes at the bridge table, you feel as if you have practically no chance to make your contract. But any chance, however unlikely, is better than none.

In today’s deal, South’s threespade opening starts and ends the auction. West takes the first three tricks with his high diamonds, then shifts to a club. How should declarer continue?

North was not a happy camper when his partner opened three spades. But he knew that misfits are miserable and passed in tempo. He hoped East would balance, but East did not have enough hand strength to argue with his opponents.

After the three diamond tricks and club switch, declarer won on the board and cashed the heart winners to discard his club loser. Now South had to avoid two spade losers. If the opposing trumps were divided 3-3, 5-1 or 6-0, there was nothing South could do; he would lose at least two spade tricks. But if they were breaking 4-2, he had one chance: an opponent holding jack doubleton. (Finding someone with king doubleton would do no good, as the jack would eventually score a trick.)

Declarer ruffed a club back to hand, cashed the spade ace and continued with the spade queen. South felt the appearance of the jack was only right and proper! Declarer ruffed the heart return, drew trumps and claimed nine tricks.

What was declarer’s chance of success? Twenty-one percent.