AS USUAL, A RUFF IN THE SHORTER HAND

First of all this week, congratulations to the winner of my Christmas Competition: Craig Cordes of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was the only entrant to get the declarer-play problem exactly right. Second was Robert Owens of Slidell, Louisiana. Cordes also won in 2012, was tied for first in 2017 and was second in 2013. Three entrants mentioned their ages: 83, 86 and 96! Bridge does not hurt in the longevity stakes.

Let’s turn to this deal. After an opponent opens one no-trump, there is a tendency to be cautious, especially at unfavorable vulnerability. However, here, South’s plunge into four spades, hoping to buy a useful card or two in the dummy, was reasonable. East doubled more on principle than in expectation of taking four tricks.

After West led the diamond queen to dummy’s ace, what should declarer have done?

At the table, declarer, intent on drawing trumps, led the spade queen. However, when East covered with the king and West discarded, South had four unavoidable losers: one spade and three clubs.

Instead, declarer should have remembered that any time you can ruff in the shorter trump hand, it will be the right line of play. South should have led a club from the board at trick two.

East would have taken the trick and probably tried to cash the diamond king, but declarer would have ruffed and played another club. East would have had no answer. South would have obtained a club ruff on the board, taken one spade finesse and lost only one spade and two clubs for plus 790 and a top. Minus 200, though, was a 0.