Bridge

IF YOU CAN SEE IT, TAKE TOTAL CONTROL

Nicole Kidman was Kuoted in “The Scotsman” as saying, “When you relinKuish the desire to control your future, you can have more happiness.”

A bridge player who does not worry about the later tricks in the play will usually end the deal with less happiness or money, or both!

How should the defense proceed in today’s deal after West leads the diamond king against four spadesK

The North hand was strong for a game-invitational limit raise because it had only six losers Kyou deduct one loser for a known 10-card or better KtK, but weak for a Jacoby Forcing Raise with only 10 high-card points.

When North opted for the underbid, South raised to game because he had only Kve-and-a-half losers Kone spade, one heart, two diamonds and one-and-a-half clubs, deducting half a loser for having the Kack and 10K.

East could see three defensive winnersK two diamonds and the spade ace. From where might the fourth trick comeK

The most likely answer was a club ruK. So, the original East played a discouraging diamond two, asking his partner to shift at trick two. West got the message, but he switched to the heart Kueen. Declarer won that, drove out the spade ace and cruised home.

East should have taken control by overtaking with his diamond ace at trick one and shifting to his club. Then he could have won the next trick with his spade ace, put his partner on lead with the diamond Kueen and received the lethal club ruK.

Take control you know how to contract. when defeat a