John Steinbeck said: “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”

You have become the declarer. It is good to have some idea of how you will play the contract. Count your winners and losers, get another idea of how lucky you need to be, and proceed.

In this deal, you have two problems. How do you play to win a dozen tricks in six spades, and how do you play to win a baker’s dozen in seven spades? West leads the heart queen.

The bidding had a modern theme. Four hearts was a Texas transfer. North then used Roman Key Card Blackwood, the five-heart reply showing two aces and denying the spade queen. North signed off in six spades. And, yes, perhaps North should have bid six no-trump. There might have been a dozen winners, two spades and 10 others, if South had a five-card minor. Then a bad spade break would not have been fatal.

In seven spades, you must play the trump suit without loss. That requires finding West with Q-J or Q-J-x in spades. Immediately lead a trump and, unless West plays an honor, call for dummy’s nine. Your chance of success is just under 14 percent.

In six spades, though, you can afford one spade loser. The right idea is to cash dummy’s ace, return to your hand in another suit, and lead your second trump, covering West’s card as cheaply as possible. Your chances have risen to nearly 88 percent.

Note finally that West should not split his spade honors — he should not help declarer.

United Feature Syndicate