Contract Bridge

It sometimes requires perfect cooperation for the defenders to score all the tricks they are entitled to take. Today’s deal provides a typical example of how a well-oiled partnership can accomplish its goal.

South opened fourth-hand

with four spades, and West led the king of clubs. East made his first good move when he played the queen on the king. In accordance with standard convention, this play guaranteed he had either the jack or no more clubs.

West interpreted the play

correctly when he continued with a low club, the three, at trick two. East won with the jack and -- certain that declarer still had another club, since the three was West’s original fourth-best club -- played a third round of the suit.

West won with the ace and had to decide what to do next. He realized that East could have the ace of hearts and that a heart return might be essential at this point. But he dismissed this possibility because he reasoned that -- since South had shown up with three clubs and almost surely had seven or eight spades -- it would be impossible for declarer to escape a heart loser if he had one.

So at trick four, West led the deuce of clubs, in effect asking East to ruff with his highest trump. East duly obliged by trumping with the jack, forcing declarer to overruff with the queen.

West’s ten of spades thus became the setting trick, and declarer finished down one. Of course, had East ended up on lead after the third round of clubs, or had West shifted to a heart after winning the third club, declarer would have made the contract.

Tomorrow: Test your play.