Do not lose your icy nerve

Jean Paul Richter was only partly right when he said, “A timid person is frightened before a danger, a coward during the time, and a courageous person afterwards.” Really, though, it is impossible to predict in advance how one will react when faced with lifethreatening danger.

At the bridge table, where one rarely gets an injury worse than a sprained finger, it is easier to be intrepid. Even so, some people’s nerves fail them completely.

Nowadays, an opener’s reverse is treated as forcing for one round. For the auction’s continuation, a popular method is for responder to employ the fourth suit or two no-trump, whichever is the cheaper, as an artificial, bust rebid. Here, North rebid his own suit, promising game-going values and at least a good five-card suit.

Against three no-trump, West leads the spade queen, of course. How should South continue?

Declarer has seven top tricks: two spades, four diamonds and one club. Assuming the normal 3-2 club split, two more tricks can be established there. However, South doesn’t have the time to play on clubs. Before he can take nine tricks, the defenders will have collected two spades, one heart and two clubs.*

Instead, South must have the courage to go after the heart suit, where the only sensible play for two tricks is to lead low to dummy’s 10. South must hope that West has the jack. If West does, declarer’s eighth and ninth tricks are established immediately, while he still has stoppers in all of the other suits.

Take the best chance for your contract.