George Ade, a writer, columnist and playwright who died in 1944, said, "Anybody can win unless there happens to be a second entry."
The success of the contract in this deal seems to rotate around one suit, but there is a second entry — if you can spot it.
Against four hearts, West cashes the ace and king of spades, then leads a third spade, which you ruff. After drawing the missing trump, how would you continue?
Over West's takeout double, North's jump to three hearts is pre-emptive. (With four-plus hearts and at least game-invitational values, he would have responded two no-trump.) The Law of Total Tricks recommends that North bid four hearts — with at least 10 combined trumps, get to the 10-trick level. North's hand, though, is so full of losers, it is reasonable to pull in one notch.
With two spades losers already down the drain and one diamond loser waiting in the wings, it looks as if the club finesse must work. But given West's takeout double, that is unlikely to happen.
Here is where the second possibility comes into play — and you should take this line even if West has passed throughout, because it costs nothing. Cash the diamond ace and play a second diamond. If East wins with the king and shifts to a club, you need that finesse to work. But when West has to win the trick, he is endplayed. If he leads a spade or a diamond, you ruff on the board and discard your club queen. If he shifts to a club, it is away from his king into your ace-queen.
The success of the contract in this deal seems to rotate around one suit, but there is a second entry — if you can spot it.
Against four hearts, West cashes the ace and king of spades, then leads a third spade, which you ruff. After drawing the missing trump, how would you continue?
Over West's takeout double, North's jump to three hearts is pre-emptive. (With four-plus hearts and at least game-invitational values, he would have responded two no-trump.) The Law of Total Tricks recommends that North bid four hearts — with at least 10 combined trumps, get to the 10-trick level. North's hand, though, is so full of losers, it is reasonable to pull in one notch.
With two spades losers already down the drain and one diamond loser waiting in the wings, it looks as if the club finesse must work. But given West's takeout double, that is unlikely to happen.
Here is where the second possibility comes into play — and you should take this line even if West has passed throughout, because it costs nothing. Cash the diamond ace and play a second diamond. If East wins with the king and shifts to a club, you need that finesse to work. But when West has to win the trick, he is endplayed. If he leads a spade or a diamond, you ruff on the board and discard your club queen. If he shifts to a club, it is away from his king into your ace-queen.