THE ACES ON BRIDGE

“I’ll be with you in the squeezing of a lemon.” -- Oliver Goldsmith .....................

Today’s three-no-trump deal was too difficult for all the players at the table. But will you, as West, be able to solve the puzzle?

Declarer won the spade lead in dummy, East following with the six to suggest an even number of spades. Now, instead of going after clubs, declarer (who had begun with the doubleton heart king) played four rounds of hearts, pitching clubs from hand as East discarded the two then four of spades.

Can you work out what is going on -- and what the killing defense is now?

You should have built up a picture of East’s hand as four small spades and two hearts, together with three diamonds and four clubs. His failure to discard a discouraging diamond marks him with an honor. Logic suggests that he has queen-third of diamonds or else he would surely have kept two spades, rather than break the partnership communication in that suit.

The winning defense is to take the spade ace now, then exit with the club queen, hoping partner has as little as 10-fourth of that suit. Declarer can do no better than win the club and play the suit back, hoping it splits. When East takes his two club winners, you will discard a spade, then a diamond, and -- to add insult to injury -- the last club squeezes dummy! Declarer will end up with just seven tricks.

Yes, declarer should have played on clubs not hearts, but that is no reason to give him back his contract.