Contract Bridge

Timing is a big factor in the outcome of a great number of deals. There are many hands where a declarer actually has all the tricks he needs to make the contract and yet goes down because the defenders score their own tricks first.

A competent declarer always looks for a way to turn the time factor to his own advantage. This deal provides a case in point.

West leads a diamond against four hearts, and East wins with the ace. East then shifts to the jack of spades in the hope of developing a spade trick for the defense before dummy’s clubs become established.

Declarer wins the spade with the king and plays the ten of clubs, ducked by East.

South then leads a second club to East’s ace, and East returns another spade, taken by dummy’s ace.

If the defenders were on lead at this point, they could cash a spade trick and sink the contract. However, they are one tempo behind and are helpless. South has the situation under control and cannot be stopped from making his game.

When declarer next leads dummy’s king of clubs, East can do no better than ruff with the six, which South overruffs. Declarer then trumps a diamond in dummy and leads the queen of clubs, leaving East without recourse whether he ruffs with the ace or not. Whatever East does, South discards a spade and finishes with 10 tricks.

Although it is perfectly normal for West to lead a diamond — the suit East opened the bidding with — it is interesting to note that the defense can win the race against time if West happens to lead a spade instead.

In that case, the defenders would collect four tricks before declarer could score 10.