The cautious won the duplicate day

Our friend A.N. Onymous said, “It is usually best to be generous with praise, but cautious with criticism.”

That is true; but amending it for today’s deal, we get that it is usually best to declare with caution. Then, partner will be generous with his praise at the end of trick 13.

How should South play in four spades after West surprisingly leads the club seven?

North’s three-heart response was a mixed raise. It promised some 7-9 high-card points, nine losers (here, two spades, three hearts, two diamonds and two clubs) and four-card spade support. South took a shot at a game bonus.

There seem to be 10 easy tricks: five spades, two diamonds, two clubs and a diamond ruff in the dummy. What could possibly go wrong?

The only real danger is a 4-0 spade break. To ensure the contract against that, declarer should win the first trick with dummy’s club ace and cash the spade queen. When the bad split is revealed, South continues with three rounds of diamonds (ruffing the last in the dummy), draws the rest of the trumps and plays a club to establish his second trick in that suit.

What happens if South greedily takes the club finesse at trick one? Then, East wins with his king and shifts to hearts. West plays highlow to show his doubleton, and East continues with a third round of the suit, which promotes a trump trick for West. The defenders take one club, two hearts and one spade.