DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Someone gave me a list of “adjusted” hymns that a man of my age would appreciate:

“It is well with my soul, but my knees hurt.”

“Just a slower walk with Thee.” “Blessed insurance.” And this one: “Nobody knows the trouble I have seeing.”

A key skill in dummy play is the ability to mentally manipulate an array of cards. Some call that “card sense.” In a deal like today’s, you either see the winning play or you don’t.

The actual declarer had trouble seeing; many declarers would have also, I suspect. When West led a heart (an obvious singleton) against six spades, South took the ace and cashed the A-K of trumps. If trumps had split 2-2, South could have conceded a heart to East and claimed. But East pitched a heart.

South then drew the last trump and led the queen of clubs, hoping to create an entry to dummy, but West played low. South next led the ace and four, but West took the king and led his last club. South discarded a heart and went down only one when West had to lead a diamond next.

“I could have led a low club first,” South remarked.

“I’d have grabbed the king and returned a club,” said West.

Do you see South’s winning play?

After South takes two top trumps, he leads a low trump to West’s ten! West must then lead a club or diamond, and South reaches dummy to discard his heart losers.