DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

As the players at the Mad Hatter’s took a tea break, the Red Queens kept up their bickering about who was greater.

“I’m the most potent card in Wonderland,” the Queen of Hearts boasted. “No ace or king dares capture me.”

“My poor cousin doesn’t play with a full deck and never will,” the Queen of Diamonds whispered to Alice. “She doesn’t know losing a trick can be better than winning one.”

“Of course, your majesty,” Alice said politely.

“Think not?” sighed the Queen. “Let’s have another deal.”

The Hatter, South, became declarer at 6NT. After he showed a balanced 23 or 24 points, the March Hare as North settled for a small slam even though 7NT might have been cold.

Alice led the 10 of spades, and the Dormouse, East, covered dummy’s jack. The Hatter saw no problem unless East held all four missing diamonds. He led a diamond at Trick Two. Alice was about to follow with her eight when she recalled the Queen of Diamonds’ words. So Alice played the queen!

The Hatter relaxed. Expecting 13 tricks, he took the ace. When the Dormouse unapologetically threw a spade, the Hatter took a bite out of his teacup. He went down two.

“Off with his head!” roared the Queen of Hearts.

“See?” the Queen of Diamonds observed. “If you play low on the first diamond, the Hatter will play low from dummy, guarding against Q-10-9-8 in your hand.”

And Alice had to admit that playing the deceptive queen of diamonds was her only chance to trap declarer.