A LINE OF PLAY NOT TO BE SNIPPED AT

Did you see that clever play called "Shear Madness"? It was a whodunit set in a unisex hair salon of the same name. The best line occurred when the proprietor answered the phone with "Shear Madness -- we curl up and dye for you." It had several potential endings, with the audience choosing which one during the intermission.

That gives you a hint toward finding the best line in today's deal. How should South play in four spades against the clubtwo opening lead to the nine and three?

East was tempted to support diamonds, but the adverse vulnerability dissuaded him.

Oblivious to the danger, South immediately played a trump to his 10 and West's king. Trusting his partner to have given a suit-preference signal at trick one, West shifted to the diamond three. After winning with the king, it wasn't difficult for East to give his partner a club ruff. The trump ace was the defense's fourth trick.

South grumbled about the odds against finding West with three trumps, but North wasn't impressed. He had noticed a perm that was a cut above the rest.

"Why not play a heart to the king at trick two?" began North. "Continue by overtaking the heart queen with dummy's ace and lead the heart 10. If East covers with the jack, you'll have to ruff and hope for the best. But when he plays a low heart, you can discard your singleton diamond. It's a classic Scissors Coup, snipping the communication between the defenders. West never gets his ruff, so your contract makes."