Try to understand the opponent’s plan

Victor Hugo wrote, “He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through the maze of the most busy life. But where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incidence, chaos will soon reign.”

That is excellent advice for a bridge player, but sometimes you have to try to understand your opponent’s plan, so that you can find a successful countermeasure.

What happens in this three-notrump contract after West leads the heart jack?

South’s one-spade response was debatable. The hand’s key feature was the good club suit. But, of course, players are brainwashed into thinking that only major suits are fit for bidding, and if four spades were the only game, it might be missed after South’s twoclub response. Here, though, five clubs was an excellent contract. Also, South’s bid helped him in the play.

Declarer won the first trick with his heart ace and played off dummy’s two top diamonds. When the queen didn’t drop, South ran the club jack. West won with the king but continued with another heart. South claimed nine tricks: two hearts, two diamonds and five clubs.

“You had six clubs?” asked an incredulous West. “Sorry, partner. How could I tell?”

Suppose South had a guaranteed spade stopper. Wouldn’t he have established dummy’s diamonds? South’s actual line strongly suggested that he was trying to run nine tricks without losing the lead and was giving himself a chance in both minors.