Sometimes care will be needed

Mark Twain said, “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” For a bridge player, an effective pause at the key moment will increase the probability that the right card will be played. In today’s deal, how does the play go in four spades after West leads the diamond eight? In the auction, North’s two-heart rebid was a reverse. This indicated extra values, usually 1720 high-card points, and clubs that were longer than hearts. South jumped to four spades to show a long, strong suit and limited point-count. North, with all of those diamond losers,passed.(Yes,South might have bid four spades on round one. Discuss with your partner the difference between South’s sequence here and that immediate jump to four spades.) When the deal was originally played, East won the first trick with his diamond queen, cashed the diamond ace and continued with the diamond king, which South ruffed with the spade queen. With no noticeable pause for thought, West overruffed with his spade king and shifted to a club. However, declarer won with dummy’s ace, drew trumps and claimed. West should have considered his options at trick three. There is a reliable guideline that unless you have a vital shift to make, do not overruff with a card that will always win a trick, especially when you have a lower trump that might have beenpromoted.Here,West knew that East could not have a side-suit void. West should have discarded a club or a heart at trick three. Then he would have taken two trump tricks.