It is easier with all 52 cards

Margaret Atwood said, “The Eskimo has 52 names for snow because it is important to them; there ought to be as many for love.” Probably 52 is an overbid, but bridge — with 52 cards — did try to get into the Winter Olympics because the Summer Games were full. However, to qualify for the Winter Games, an activity must take place on ice or snow — which was hard for bridge to claim.

In today’s deal, how does South avoid sliding to defeat in seven spades after West leads a low diamond?

The bidding is always easier when you can see all 52 cards. But after North rebid five spades over five diamonds, South thought the grand slam had to have play.

There seem to be 13 tricks: six spades, three hearts and four clubs. The only danger is a bad club break. If West has J-10fourth, his holding can be nullified by finessing twice. But what happens if East has J-10-fourth of clubs?

Assuming East has the diamond ace (reasonable, given West’s lead), he can be squeezed between the minors as long as declarer does not play dummy’s diamond king at trick one.

South ruffs the diamond, draws trumps, and cashes his heart tricks. What does he learn?

Here, he finds out that East started with three spades, at least three hearts and (from the bidding) six diamonds. So, he has at most one club. Declarer cashes his club ace and plays a club to dummy’s nine (or captures West’s honor, ruffs the diamond king, and takes the club finesse).

Leave until as late as possible a suit that can be played in more than one way.