Can you spot the book play?

There are many plays described in bridge books. There are also deals on which the book play is wrong, for one reason or another. Sometimes the problem is deciding into which category a particular deal fits. At other times it is recognizing the book play in an unusual guise.

South's overcall of one no-trump showed a good 15to 18points. North's raise to game was aggressive. He debatably added a point for his weak five-card suit.

West led the spade seven: two, jack, six. When East continued with the spade king, South won with his ace. Now declarer led the club queen from his hand. If West had won with the king, he would have been unable to lead another spade, so he ducked the trick to his partner's ace. East continued with the queen and another spade, establishing his nine, but he had no reentry. Declarer conceded a club to West's king and claimed nine tricks: two spades, three hearts, one diamond and three clubs. The diamond finesse wasn't needed.

The defenders shrugged their shoulders, complimenting South on his duck at trick one. South thanked them, but he knew better. He had noticed that if East plays the spade nine (or four) at trick one, the contract can be defeated. South wins with the spade 10and leads a club, but West flies in with the king and returns his second spade. East's suit is established while he still holds the club ace as an entry.

In a no-trump contract, when declarer has two stoppers in the suit you are trying to establish, make him use one of them as quickly as possible.

— MAY 11, 2022