Partner, where is your entry?

Milton Glaser, who was a graphic designer, said, “To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master.”

At the bridge table, the defenders need to communicate clearly by whatever they can control — the cards that they play.

In this deal, how should the defenders play to defeat three notrump after West leads his fourthhighest spade?

If you use two-over-one gameforce, North has a close decision. Even though he has only 11 high-card points, he can justify his immediate game-force because of the useful heart holding. His alternative is to respond three diamonds, showing game-invitational values with six or seven diamonds.

East wins the first trick with his spade ace and returns the spade two. Let’s suppose that South takes this trick with his king and runs the diamond queen to East’s king. Should East shift to a heart or to a club?

There is going to be a natural reaction to return a club because South opened one heart. But West can tell his partner which suit to lead. At trick two, West could play any of his spades except the queen. If his side-suit entry is in clubs, he tables the spade three, his lowest card in the suit. Here, though, West plays the spade seven, his highest spot card signaling for the higher-ranking suit. Now East knows what to do; there is no guesswork.

These suit-preference signals are great, but the defenders must watch the cards closely and play the right ones at the critical moments. Discuss them with your partner and ramp up your defense.