The split is bad, but don’t give up

Michael Friedman, a philosopher, said, “The scientific name for an animal that doesn’t either run from or fight its enemies is ‘lunch.’”

The scientific name for a bridge player who doesn’t fight when the splits are bad is “loser.”

Here is another deal featuring Eric

Greco, who was the American Contract Bridge League’s Player of the

Year in 2018. These two deals were drawn to my attention by Steve

Conrad of Manhasset, Long Island.

Greco (South) was the declarer in four spades. He took the first trick with dummy’s heart ace and cashed the spade ace, raising one eyebrow a millimeter when West discarded a club. How did Greco continue?

The auction was artificial. North’s first four bids asked questions. In turn, South showed at least five spades and 8 points or more, 8-11 points, either 5-4-2-2 or 5-3-3-2 shape, and exactly 5=2=4=2.

Outside trumps, declarer had two hearts, two diamonds and one club. So, he needed five spade tricks.

After a club to his queen and West’s ace, South took the club return with dummy’s king and ruffed the club 10 in his hand — trump trick No. 2. Declarer cashed his diamond ace, played a heart to the king, led a diamond to his king (East playing his queen) and exited with a diamond.

West led the heart jack, East ruffing with the spade eight and South overruffing with his 10 — spade trick No. 3. The diamond two was ruffed with dummy’s spade king — trump trick No. 4 — and South still had the spade queen to come as spade trick No.5. A knockout!