Contract Bridge

Declarer is often confronted with a choice of several lines of play. Obviously, he should try to select the most promising one, but it is not always easy to find the approach that offers the best chance.

Consider this deal where West leads a heart against three notrump and declarer wins East’s jack with the ace. What should South do next?

It would clearly be wrong to start by trying a club finesse at this point — first, because the contract would be in great jeopardy if the finesse lost, and second, because the club finesse can just as easily be taken later on, if necessary.

The proper suit to attack initially is diamonds. If the suit divides 3-2 (the normal expectancy), South is sure to score at least 10 tricks without risking the dangerous club finesse. Furthermore, he has a much better chance of finding the diamonds favorably divided than of finding West with the king of clubs.

However, despite the decided advantage of attacking diamonds rather than clubs, it would be wrong to lead a diamond from the closed hand at trick two. The correct play by declarer is to lead a low spade to the ace followed by a low diamond from dummy.

After East follows low, as he should, South wins the trick with the queen. Declarer must now be careful of his next step. Sheer momentum might cause him to lead another diamond. But this would be a serious mistake (and would be fatal in the actual case because of the 4-1 diamond division).

Instead, South should now take the club finesse because, by doing so, he is sure to make nine tricks even if the finesse loses. But if, at trick two, he leads a diamond from his hand or attempts a club finesse, or, on the recommended line of play, continues diamonds after the queen wins at trick three, it eventually costs him the contract.