More distribution, fewer losers

In “King Lear,” Shakespeare wrote, “Distribution should undo excess.”

At the bridge table, though, good distribution — an unbalanced hand with long suits — often forgives excess in the auction. There is one proviso — that you have a good fit.

Look at the North hand in today's diagram. With the opponents retaining a respectful silence, North opens one diamond, and partner responds one spade. What should North rebid?

As I mentioned yesterday, once a fit has been found, use the Losing Trick Count. Here, North's hand contains only five losers: three spades, one heart and one club. Partner, for a onelevel response, is assumed to have nine losers. (If he has fewer, he will take the auction higher.) Five plus nine is 14. Subtracting that from the magic number of 24 gives 10 — the number of tricks available. It is a game deal.

So, North should jump to four clubs, a splinter bid showing game-going values, four-card spade support and a singleton (or void) in clubs.

The South hand now has only five losers: one spade, one heart and three diamonds. (He can ruff his club losers in his partner's hand.) The LTC says that North-South can win 14 tricks!

Some form of Blackwood will tell South that six spades should be the final contract.

West leads the club king. South can afford one trump loser, but not two. What should he do?

The correct play is first to cash the spade ace. If an honor drops, it's all over. But if only low cards appear, declarer enters dummy to lead a spade toward the queen. This avoids guesswork.