Takayuki Ikkaku, Arisa Hosaka and Toshihiro Kawabata, the writers of the “Animal Crossing: Wild World” video game, said, “When you’re a team of one, you’re always captain.”

In bridge, you are a team of two. During the bidding, normally you have a two-sided conversation to decide the best contract. Occasionally, though, one of you takes charge – assumes captaincy – our topic this week.

This happens when partner has described his hand accurately. He typically leaves the final decision to his partner.

In today’s deal, North makes a game-invitational limit raise in spades. This makes opener the captain. He decides whether it is a partscore deal (he passes), a game deal (he raises to four spades), or a slam deal – as here, he makes a four-club control-bid (cue-bid). Then, since North has a slam-suitable hand with one ace, two kings and a doubleton, he control-bids four diamonds. Finally, South bids what he hopes he can make.

After West leads the heart queen, what should declarer do?

At first glance, the contract appears to depend upon the club finesse, but it is actually guaranteed. Win with the heart ace, draw trumps, play off dummy’s three red-suit winners (discarding the club five from hand), and ruff the diamond eight to eliminate the red suits. Then, return to dummy with a spade and lead a club, covering East’s card as cheaply as possible. West takes the trick but is endplayed. He must either lead back into South’s club tenace or concede a ruffand sluff.