Some spots are good, some need to go

Tim Tebow said, “There’s always someone out there training for your spot. For my scholarship at the University of Florida, for my job with the Denver Broncos, for my position with the New York Jets. And that’s the reason to get up earlier or stay up later.”

At the bridge table, pay careful attention to your spot-cards. On defense, they can be employed to send signals; on offense, they may win contract-fulfilling tricks — or threaten to be a hindrance rather than a help. Which applies in this deal?

How should South play in six spades after West leads the heart king?

West made a Michaels Cue-bid, showing at least 5-5 in hearts and either minor. North made a splinter bid, promising at least game-going values in spades with a singleton (or void) in hearts. South took a gamble in lurching into Blackwood.

If spades are 3-1 or 2-2, declarer has 12 top tricks: five spades, one heart, five clubs and a heart ruff on the board. So, he should concentrate on how to take that ruff and draw trumps safely when East has all four trumps.

Did you notice that dummy’s spade eight will cause South a spot of trouble if he is not careful?

The right line is to win with the heart ace and to ruff a heart with that dangerous spot. Then declarer cashes dummy’s spade ace to get the bad news. But he continues with the spade 10, covered by the jack and king. He returns to the board with a club, leads the spade five to his seven, draws East’s final spade and claims.

Nicely spotted!