Bridge

WEST leads the seven of spades, East overtaking with the eight. How would you play the contract? To bring your total to nine, you will need four tricks from one of the red suits, the ace-king from the other red suit, and three black-suit winners. Which red suit gives you the best chance of four tricks? Diamonds, because you have eight cards there compared with only seven in hearts. You can make four diamond tricks when the suit breaks 3-2 (also when West has any singleton, provided you can afford East to gain the lead). Scoring four heart tricks is less likely, since you would need a 3-3 break. So, should you play a diamond at Trick 2? No, you should ‘attack the entry to the danger hand’. You need a club trick to bring your total to nine and should play a club at Trick 2. Suppose East wins dummy’s king of clubs with the ace and continues with ace and another spade, setting up his suit. You must now establish the diamonds without allowing East on lead. Cross to the diamond king and lead a low diamond towards your hand. When East follows with the nine, cover with the ten, finessing into the safe hand. West wins and has no spade to play. An overtrick is yours. Suppose instead that you test the diamonds first, cashing the ace and king. If you play a club next you will still succeed (luckily) when West holds the diamond stopper. You will go down, though, when the cards lie as in the diagram.

Had you held this hand in second seat, you would be not quite strong enough for a take-out double. In the fourth seat you must take steps to ‘protect’ your partner. Here you should double, for take-out. There is no need to worry that you are minimum in terms of points. That is balanced by the fact that you hold four cards in both major suits.

Awards: Double-10, Pass-5,

David Bird — Knight Features

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