Bridge players sometimes feel that way about suit combinations. As if to stress the point, we will have this North-South spade holding for three days in three different scenarios.
First, after West leads a fourth-highest spade five, how should South plan the play in three no-trump?
South’s auction showed (22-plus) 23-24 points and a balanced hand. North thought three no-trump would be a walk in the park.
When the dummy came down, South could see eight top tricks: one spade (because of the lead), three hearts, two diamonds and two clubs. A ninth trick was sure to come from clubs or might appear from hearts if the suit split 3-3. But what should declarer do right now?
With only two spades in the dummy, he should call for dummy’s queen.
Here, when the queen holds, South runs the club 10. Yes, the finesse loses, but declarer still has a spade stopper with West on lead. Declarer takes at least nine tricks: one spade, three hearts, two diamonds and three clubs.
If instead declarer had played dummy’s low spade at trick one, East would have put up his jack. Then, when South took that trick with his king, how would he continue?
Declarer would cash the top hearts (no luck) and the club ace, cross to dummy with a diamond, and take the club finesse. Here, West would win that trick and cash four spade winners.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
