Contract Bridge

It is natural to relax when a contract seems easy to make, but this can sometimes prove very costly, as many a declarer has learned to his sorrow. All too often a relaxed declarer will not provide for an unlikely development that might upset the apple cart.

Consider this deal where West led a club against six notrump. Declarer played low from dummy and won East’s jack with the ace. There seemed to be nothing to the play; it appeared to South that the only trick he’d lose would be the ace of diamonds.

But when he led a diamond to the jack and East showed out, South found himself in deep trouble. West still had the A-10- 9 of diamonds, and declarer could not get to his hand twice to lead toward the K- Q.

He could enter his hand once by leading a heart to the king, but since West would play the nine on the next diamond lead toward dummy, the suit could not be brought home without losing two diamond tricks to West. So South went down one.

Declarer lost the slam on his very first play when he followed low from dummy on the club lead.

This was a serious error even though it assured him of scoring four club tricks instead of three.

South should have recognized at the outset that only a 4- 0 diamond division could jeopardize the contract. Gaining an extra club trick was of no consequence whatever. All that mattered was the diamond division.

Declarer should start by assuming a 4- 0 split. If East has all four diamonds, the contract is virtually hopeless. But if West has them, it is essential to win the first club in dummy.

South next plays the king of diamonds. Whether West takes the ace at this point makes no difference. With two entries still in his hand, South can counter whatever West elects to do and thus assure scoring five diamond tricks and the slam.