ACES ON BRIDGE

Initially, South was not interested in playing a spade as opposed to diamond part-score. Knowing of the 4-4 diamond fit, he was content to play the minor, but when his partner showed real extras over his signoff, he offered a choice of games with a cue-bid, suggesting doubt about the final strain rather than looking for slam. He opted for the 4-3 fit when his partner suggested it, and he was right, with five diamonds needing a more favorable trump position and four spades turning out to be an excellent spot.

West led a top heart, inferring from the auction that his partner should have three. Playing for the force, he continued with a top heart. Declarer ruffed, led out his two top spades, then crossed to a top club to ruff a second heart. Now he went back to dummy with a top club and cashed the spade queen. He next overtook the club jack with the queen and played the club 10, offering East a pair of unpalatable options. If East ruffed in, he would be forced to lead a diamond into the tenace; if he discarded, then declarer’s diamond ace would represent his 10th trick.

Had West diagnosed the precise position and shifted to a low diamond at trick two, declarer would have needed to rise with the ace. Then he would have taken the two heart ruffs for himself and transposed into the same ending. Again, the fourth club would have forced East to ruff and concede the 10th winner, this time to the diamond queen at trick 13.