BRIDGE

Today’s deal is from a rubber bridge game and South was delighted with the sight of dummy. There would be 13 easy tricks if the jack of clubs fell doubleton or tripleton. Even if the jack did not fall, 12 tricks would be there as long as the club suit split no worse than 4-2 – a high-percentage chance.

South won the opening diamond lead with dummy’s ace, cashed the king of clubs, and led a club to his ace. The club split was a disappointment, but he still had a chance if East held the king of hearts. South crossed to dummy with the king of diamonds and led a low heart to his queen. He was out of chances when that lost to the king and the contract drifted down one.

Declarer should have made this slam. Can you spot how, and more importantly, why? After cashing dummy’s king of clubs, South should have led a club to the 10. Not because we can all see the jack sitting in the East hand, but because that play would assure 12 tricks. Even if this play lost an unnecessary trick to the jack of clubs, 12 tricks would be certain. You have to secure 12 tricks before you think about 13.