Playing the market

Prior to a tournament session, the director-in-charge was making announcements. He urged the players to be civil and supportive of their partner.

“Think of your partner like a stock,” the D-I-C said. “Depending on how you treat your partner, your stock will go up or down.”

Immediately came cries from all over the room: “Sell!”

In today’s deal, South might have blasted into 3NT at his second turn, daring West to find a killing defense, assuming one existed. South might indeed have made at least one overtrick. But when South bid to five clubs instead, the defense had a chance.

West led the queen of diamonds, dummy played low and East signaled with the eight. South won the next diamond and drew trumps. Next, placing the missing high cards with West, declarer led the eight of hearts. West had to play low; if he took the ace, South would win two heart tricks plus a spade, a diamond and seven trumps.

When dummy’s queen won, South ruffed a diamond and ran the trumps. With three tricks left, he had the A-Q of spades and king of hearts. If West bared his ace of hearts to save the K-J of spades, declarer would exit with a heart to end-play him; if instead West bared his king of spades, South would cash the ace.

Making five. Declarer played well, but East must have thought his stock in West was about to split 1-for-10. East failed to protect his partner. At Trick One, East must overtake with his king of diamonds to shift to a spade. He breaks up the impending strip- squeeze against West and assures three tricks for the defense.