WHAT YOU LEAD NEXT CAN COUNT

Harold Macmillan, who was the British prime minister for nearly seven years, said, “I am MacWonder one moment and MacBlunder the next.”

Defenders or declarer may feel that way during a deal. Someone makes a wonderful play one moment, but then takes his eyes off the cards and blunders, letting a contract make or break when it should have been defeated or made.

Today’s deal was spotted by Steve Conrad of Manhasset, Long Island, during a club duplicate. South was in four spades. After West led the club king, what should have happened?

In the auction, North’s three clubs was a double negative, indicating 0-3 points. Then, after South showed his second suit, North raised to four spades, glad to have respectable support.

As you can see, the defenders can take one spade, one diamond and two clubs. But they have to be on their toes.

After West led the club king, East signaled enthusiastically with his nine. West continued with the club queen and, when he held that trick too, led another club. However, South ruffed and played three rounds of trumps. East took the last and shifted to the diamond king, but it was too late. Declarer won with his ace and ran the hearts, discarding dummy’s remaining diamond. Who was at fault?

At trick two, West should have led his club jack, not the queen. His king lead marked him with the queen, but East could not be sure about the jack. If West had done that at trick two, East surely would have overtaken with his ace and switched to the diamond king, defeating the contract.

CLOSE TO HOME: By John McPherson