On Independence Day, freedom of thought

First of all, I wish all American readers a happy Independence Day.

Ambrose Bierce, in “The Devil’s Dictionary,” defines “mad” as “affected with a high degree of intellectual independence.”

In today’s deal, declarer is dependent on taking 10 tricks to make his four-spade contract. What should he do after West starts with two top hearts?

North was in an unenviable position when West overcalled one heart. He did not want to bid one no-trump with only jack-third of hearts; to raise to two clubs with two trumps was out of the question; and his hand was light to respond two diamonds, especially with such a weak suit. He compromised by making a negative double, which promised four spades.

The original declarer thought that he should aim for these 10 tricks: four spades, one diamond and five clubs. So he discarded low diamonds from his hand on the second and third rounds of hearts. He would have been all right if trumps had split 3-3 or 4-2, but not when they were 6-0.

However, dummy, as is his wont, pointed out that South should have taken 10 tricks with a crossruff.

After trumping at trick two, he plays a club to the king, overtakes the club jack with his ace, ruffs a club on the board (East discards a diamond), carefully crosses to his hand with a diamond, trumps another club, ruffs the heart jack, trumps his last club with dummy’s final spade and claims. He takes one diamond, two clubs, three club ruffs on the board, two heart ruffs in his hand and two high trumps.