Can you spot the unwanted spot?

When someone takes a flash photograph, you get spots in front of your eyes. Annoyingly, they take

some time to fade. At the bridge table, though, it pays to keep your eyes on the spots — the spot cards that is. A momentary blink, and your contract could evaporate before your eyes.

South chose to rebid in his excellent suit. Not an unreasonable decision, but he might have bid three spades instead. This would have shown a spade stopper and denied a heart stopper. Here, North would have bid three no-trump and, assuming he watched the club spots, made it with at least one overtrick.

Against five clubs, West led the spade king: three, nine, ace. Declarer cashed the club ace, West discarding a spade. South led a heart to the dummy and ran the club 10. But now South had no entry with which to return to hand to draw trumps. He led the diamond four, but East won with the ace, played the spade six to partner’s queen and received a spade ruff to defeat the contract.

South should have paused when West discarded on the first round of trumps. If only declarer had unblocked dummy’s 10, he would have been safe. He could have led a heart to the dummy and followed with the club seven, overtaking with his eight. Now in hand, he would have drawn trumps and lost just two tricks: one spade and one diamond.

Always take a close look at all of your spot cards. Maybe there is a suit blockage threatened.

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