SEND A MONARCH TO THE GUILLOTINE

P.G. Wodehouse wrote, "There is only one cure for gray hair. It was invented by a Frenchman. It is called the guillotine."

Nowadays there is a less drastic way to remove gray hair. But it is hard at the bridge table to sacrifice a card that can win a trick, even when that would result in a greater number of tricks being taken.

This deal occurred during a pairs event at the Summer North American Championships in Las Vegas last month.

As West, on lead against one no-trump, I think I would have chosen the heart five, preferring a major to a minor and not wanting to risk leading into declarer's possible diamond ace-queen.

At the table I saw, South

won the first trick with his diamond queen and exited with a low spade. East won with the 10 and accurately shifted to the club five. South played low from his hand and ducked in the dummy when West played the 10. Then West led the club two to dummy's ace. After a spade established his suit, declarer took eight tricks (three spades, two hearts, two diamonds and one club) for a 63 percent score. However, if, at trick four, West had sacrificed his club king under dummy's ace, the defenders could have taken two spades and four clubs, saving 23 percent.

To end today, here is a question to be answered tomorrow: During an auction in Las Vegas, I bid one heart on the first round and one spade on

bridge

DOWN 2 Uncanny 3 Quarry 4 Petty details 5 Gather 6 Breastbone 8 Thrift 11 Fit in 13 Measuring device 15 Revolve round 16 Dilute

the second round even though my partner did not pass, double or redouble. How?