IT IS HARD TO LOSE A TRICK UNNECESSARILY
The “American Heart Association Cookbook” advises, “Eat before shopping. If you go to the store hungry, you are likely to make unnecessary purchases.”
Eating gains calories, and in excess can be harmful. Winning a trick increases your total, but it might prove to be a Pyrrhic victory. In the long run, you might have done better to go on a diet, conceding a trick that you could have won.
How should South plan the play in four spades on today’s deal? The defenders begin with two rounds of clubs.
I agree with South’s onespade overcall (in preference to a takeout double). Get those five-card majors into the auction. East nearly rebid four no-trump, to show a minor two-suiter with shorter diamonds, but was dissuaded by the unfavorable vulnerability.
South can afford one heart loser, but not two. If hearts are breaking 3-2, the contract is in no jeopardy, but what if they are 4-1?
After ruffing the second club, declarer played a diamond. West rose with his ace and led another club. South ruffed, trumped a diamond, played a spade to his ace, ruffed the diamond queen and cashed the spade queen. What did he do next?
South led a low heart from the board and played low from hand!
If East had taken the trick, he would have had to concede a fatal ruff-and-sluff. So West overtook with his queen and led the heart 10. Declarer won with his king, ran the heart eight and claimed.
HAGAR THE HORRIBLE: