DEALS ARE EASIER AWAY FROM THE TABLE

Leonardo da Vinci said, "Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in."

Fair enough. Some bridge deals are much easier to study in the quiet of your study at home. When in the heat of battle, unable to see all 52 cards, finding the best plays can be difficult.

In today's deal, for example, what happens in four spades doubled if all the cards are visible?

This deal occurred in New Zealand nearly 50 years ago during a match between Auckland and Canterbury.

As seen in yesterday's column, at the first table West made four hearts doubled after South had opened three spades. North, assuming his partner had the spade ace, never led diamonds. So West took seven hearts and three spades.

In the given auction, West's four-club opening was Namyats, showing a strong four-heart opening. (I think his hand was a winner too strong. I would not have held one of the aces.) North's double showed clubs. (Four hearts would have been equivalent to a takeout double.) Then, when South advanced with four spades, East happily doubled.

West led the heart ace. South ruffed and played the spade jack. Then, whatever the defenders tried, they could take only three trump tricks. The board resulted in a double doubled game swing worth 17 international match points to Canterbury.

bridge

To defeat four spades, West must lead his club, win the first trump with his ace and play a heart. East ruffs high and returns a club for West to ruff. Easy peasy from the comfort of your armchair!

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