DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“I’ve written you before about my hypochondriac husband,” a reader’s email states. “He’s still got it bad. Yesterday I brought home a cured ham, and he wanted to know what it had been cured of. And yes, he is still post-morteming every deal.”

My reader’s husband was today’s South. When West preempted with three spades and East raised to four, South came in with five hearts.

“Everyone passed,” my reader says, “and West led the king of spades. My husband ruffed, drew trumps, took the ace of clubs and led a second club to dummy’s queen. East produced the king, and the defense got another club and a diamond for down one.

“My husband has been mumbling about this deal ever since. He knows he could have made the contract with an end play, but the simple line of play he chose could have worked; West could have held the king of clubs.

“I told my hubby to let it go. Down one at five hearts was a good result; East-West could make five spades. And I thought my husband did well not to take a chance and bid six hearts at his first turn. He won’t listen to me. Help!”

After South draws trumps, he should not commit himself in clubs. Instead he leads the ace and a low diamond. West wins and leads another spade, and South ruffs and ruffs his last diamond in dummy. When West’s king falls on that trick, declarer can reasonably place East with the king of clubs; West would be unlikely to preempt with two side kings.

So, South leads a trump to his hand and returns a low club, playing dummy’s nine when West follows with the three. When East wins, he is end-played.

West dealer

Both sides vulnerable