Contract Bridge

There is a vast difference between playing bridge looking at only the 13 cards you were dealt, and playing bridge with all 52 cards exposed, as seen in a diagram.

In discussing hands that appear in this column, it is our policy to hold a player responsible only for what he is expected to know and think under normal playing conditions, and not for the knowledge he could obtain from seeing all four hands. Nevertheless, in many deals a player can play as though all the cards are in view. Here is an example.

South winds up in three notrump after East opens the bidding with one heart. West leads a spade, taken by East with the ace. East returns the two of spades to South’s king. How should South proceed?

Declarer can count eight top tricks -- four clubs, three hearts and a spade -- and has to manufacture a ninth before East-West can gain the lead and defeat him. It is plain to see that South’s only hope is to pick up an additional trick in hearts -- the suit with which East opened the bidding.

Obviously, East is far more likely to have the jack than West. To cash the K-Q and expect the jack to fall is a forlorn hope. But to find West with the singleton eight or nine is certainly well within the realm of possibility.

Accordingly, declarer cashes the ace of clubs, plays a club to the nine, then leads the ten of hearts, planning to finesse if East follows low.

When East covers with the jack, South takes the king, noting with satisfaction the fall of West’s eight-spot. Declarer then crosses to dummy with a club and leads the three of hearts. After East follows low, South finesses the seven to secure his well-deserved ninth trick.