Bridge

Hermann Hesse wrote, “Eternity is a mere moment, just long enough for a joke.”

I doubt today will last for an eternity, but if you know a funny, clean joke, please email it to me at phillip@bridgeforeveryone.com.

This deal features a declarer-play technique that is almost sure to be right. How should South plan the play in four spades after West leads the club seven to the six, king and ace?

When the opener has 5-4-3-1 shape and 12 to 14 high-card points, opens in his five-card suit and hears partner respond in his three-card major, he should raise to two of that major. Even if opener has 4=3=5=1 or 4=3=1=5, rebidding two hearts will usually work better than one spade. Note also that if South’s spade two were in either minor suit, he would rebid three notrump, not four spades, to offer his partner a choice of games.

In four spades, South saw four potential losers: one heart, one diamond and two clubs. However, declarer knew that any time he could ruff a loser in the shorter trump hand, it would be the right line of play.

So, he ruffed a club at trick two, played a heart to his ace and ruffed his last club. Then he cashed the spade ace, getting the surprising news about the 5-0 split. After checking that West wasn’t having a little joke, momentarily reneging, declarer played a diamond to his jack. West won with his ace and gave his partner a diamond ruff, but that cost East one of his natural trump tricks. South took five spades, two hearts, one club and the two club ruffs on the board.