DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Analyzing deals is treacherous, especially for writers working on deadline. Today’s deal appeared in the excellent Daily Bulletin at the ACBL Spring NABC, and East was praised for a deceptive defense.

In the Platinum Pairs, West led a diamond against three hearts, and South took dummy’s ace and led a trump. West took his king and led another diamond, and South ruffed and led a second trump. West won and led a third diamond. South ruffed again and drew West’s last trump.

Declarer next led a club to dummy’s seven, and East won with the queen and led a spade. South won that and let the 10 of clubs ride ... and East followed low! South then led a third club to the jack. When East produced the king, South was cut off from dummy’s ace and lost a spade. Down one.

All this struck me as mysterious, and a second look bore me out. First, West always prevails if he leads a spade at some point; then the defense has time to set up a spade trick.

Even as the play went, East needed no deception. He could pitch a diamond on the second round of trumps and a spade on the third round. When he takes the queen of clubs, he forces South to ruff a diamond with his last trump, and then East can win the second club finesse and cash a diamond.

After South ruffed West’s third diamond lead, he must not draw the missing trump but should start the clubs. Then, to force with a fourth diamond doesn’t help East since dummy has a trump to ruff with; East would need to employ his deceptive play in clubs.