A KEY PLAY FOR THIRD HAND

Fred Allen, a comedian who died in 1956, said, “I always have trouble remembering three things: faces, names and — I can’t remember what the third thing is.” This joke has been rewritten in various forms. For our second common error in this week’s columns, we turn to third hand play. The opening lead has been made, and dummy’s card played. What should third hand do?

Look at the East hand in today’s diagram. South is in four spades. West leads the club two. Which card should East play?

In the bidding, North, over West's takeout double, might bid two spades (very cautious), three spades (better) or four spades (best, following the primary dictum of the Law of Total Tricks — in competition, bid as high as the number of trumps your side holds). Whatever North chooses, though, four spades will be the final contract.

At trick one, East must play the club jack. Why?

Here, South wins the trick with his ace and leads a trump, putting West back in. Trick one told West that East holds the club queen (otherwise, South would have taken the first trick with that card, not with the ace). So West should see that it is right to lead another low club. East will win with his queen and should shift to a heart. West takes two tricks in that suit for down one. (If West has a diamond winner coming, it isn't going anywhere, but heart tricks might — and will — evaporate.)

Finally, if declarer ducks the first trick, East should immediately switch to the heart nine. West’s lead marks South with the club ace, so returning that suit would be a waste of time.. Copyright United Feature Syndicate (Asia Features)