Bridge

If you adopt an adventurous bidding style, you have to play the cards well to make your contracts or, at the very least, limit the penalties.

I was given this hand by South who was very proud of his activities. East opened One Heart and our hero overcalled with Four Spades (Phew!). All passed and West led 9. At least dummy had far more useful cards than declarer deserved. “So, how do you play?” he demanded. Without too much thought, I suggested ruffing and giving up a diamond. This seemed to work: the defenders could hardly play trumps, and with East holding the spade 10 it would surely be possible to ruff two diamonds in dummy.

“I suppose so,” my informant conceded; then brightening, “but let me tell you how I played it!” After ruffing the heart ace, he had, rightly, decided against leading a low trump to the jack, after which a club return would have killed him. Instead, he led the spade queen from hand. At least the play had the merit of originality.

East had little choice but to win with his king and he continued with the ace and another diamond, forcing dummy to ruff. But now declarer was able to ruff a low heart in hand, draw trumps, and he still had the club ace on the table as an entry to the winning hearts. A club return instead of the diamond continuation would not have helped the defence, for the spade jack was still there as an entry. All right, I had to concede that the play itself had led to an over trick, but who found the best line of play to collect 10 tricks? It still looks close to me..