Actor John Barrymore said, "Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open."
Happiness after yesterday's deal required finding four open doors to the dummy — four entries. Today, you need only one entry, but how would you find it?
Against your contract of three no-trump, West leads his fourth-highest heart, East putting up the king. You win with your ace and unblock your three club honors. What next?
South's sequence — a strong, artificial and forcing two clubs followed by a jump to three no-trump — shows a balanced 25-27 points. It is an awkward auction because the responder, if he has a weak hand and a four- or five-card major, does not know whether to pass or to bid. (Four clubs should be Stayman, and four of a red suit a transfer.)
You have six top tricks: one spade, two hearts and three clubs. You would be in clover if you could get into the dummy, gaining access to those extra club tricks, but how?
You could lead a low spade toward dummy's jack, hoping that West has the king, but that fails here. East takes the jack with his king and returns a heart.
Instead, lead the spade queen from your hand.
If East takes the trick with his king, dummy's jack is the entry that will bring happiness to you and your partner. But let's suppose East visualizes your plan and let's your queen hold. What then?
You shift to diamonds, driving out the ace, giving you two spades, two hearts, two diamonds and three clubs.
Happiness after yesterday's deal required finding four open doors to the dummy — four entries. Today, you need only one entry, but how would you find it?
Against your contract of three no-trump, West leads his fourth-highest heart, East putting up the king. You win with your ace and unblock your three club honors. What next?
South's sequence — a strong, artificial and forcing two clubs followed by a jump to three no-trump — shows a balanced 25-27 points. It is an awkward auction because the responder, if he has a weak hand and a four- or five-card major, does not know whether to pass or to bid. (Four clubs should be Stayman, and four of a red suit a transfer.)
You have six top tricks: one spade, two hearts and three clubs. You would be in clover if you could get into the dummy, gaining access to those extra club tricks, but how?
You could lead a low spade toward dummy's jack, hoping that West has the king, but that fails here. East takes the jack with his king and returns a heart.
Instead, lead the spade queen from your hand.
If East takes the trick with his king, dummy's jack is the entry that will bring happiness to you and your partner. But let's suppose East visualizes your plan and let's your queen hold. What then?
You shift to diamonds, driving out the ace, giving you two spades, two hearts, two diamonds and three clubs.