THE POWER OF THE FIRST BLOW

Voltaire said that there is only one adventure open to the cowardly. What is it?

The declarer enjoys a considerable advantage during the card-play. To try to balance the books (as my librarian phrases it), a defender makes the opening lead. Sometimes this is critical — as in today’s deal.

Note that if the declarer plays first in four spades, he can draw trumps immediately, aided by the 2-2 split. Then he cashes his two top hearts and ruffs a heart in the dummy, bringing down West’s queen. South graciously concedes three tricks.

However, West made the opening lead tell. He selected the diamond two, which East won with the queen. As West had supported diamonds, East wasn’t tempted to try to cash the diamond ace. Even if West had made an eccentric raise on three low diamonds, he would have led his highest diamond, not the two.

East switched to the club ace and continued with the club 10. After winning with the king, West saw what was needed to defeat the contract. He led another club, and East didn’t let her partner down. She ruffed with the spade queen.

South overruffed with the spade king, but now West had to win a trump trick. The uppercut had been decisively delivered.

Voltaire said that marriage is the only adventure open to the cowardly. This East and West are not married, but apparently, after the deal was over, West said, “Well defended, partner. I wish my wife played bridge as well as you do. She would have ruffed with the spade two.”

No, I wasn’t West. How could you think such a thing?