ACES ON BRIDGE

In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.

— Richard Baxter

Consider how you would rate South’s chances in three no-trump, from the quarterfinals of the 2002 McConnell Cup in Montreal.

The play turns out to be very straightforward if West leads a top spade; declarer can set up diamonds while keeping West off lead, and she has a heart finesse for 10 tricks in some variations.

Consider the play on a club lead, however. Since East cannot be allowed to obtain the lead for the killing spade shift, you cash two clubs ending in hand and lead a diamond to dummy. West must play the diamond queen at once, or she can be endplayed with it. Now you need some very fancy footwork!

You duck and win the diamond exit, cash the remaining diamond winner as West pitches a spade, and instead of taking dummy’s club winner — which would squeeze your hand

— play the heart queen. If

West takes this, you get an entry to hand and thus nine tricks (two hearts, three clubs and four diamonds).

So West ducks, and only now can you cash the last club winner, pitching a diamond from hand — the necessity of cashing the winners in the correct order adds to the fun!

West now has to find a second discard, on the last top club. If she throws a heart, then two rounds of hearts endplay her to lead spades to you and concede your contract. If she pitches a spade, you throw her in with spades to lead hearts to you —again, this provides you with an entry to reach your long diamond for your ninth trick. ANSWER: Bid two spades. Passing is risky, with the hearts stacked under the bidder. It seems better to rebid your good spade suit. Two no-trump is also an option, but that is likely to be the wrong part-score if partner cannot force to game. I can see passing if the opponents are frisky overcallers, and especially if they are vulnerable, where plus 200 would be better than our making partscore.