People who are going on a vacation fall into two categories: Some people finish packing at least three days before they’re supposed to leave; others wake up the morning of the trip and realize they need to do two loads of laundry. Today’s declarer would probably be a member of the second group.

Some players would have opened 1NT as South; the contract would still have been four spades after North responded two hearts a “transfer” to spades and bid 3NT next. South would convert to four spades. When South opened one spade and North issued a limit raise, South had enough to go on to game.

West led the queen of clubs, and South took dummy’s king and cashed the king of trumps. When East discarded, declarer groaned and took the ace of trumps. He cashed the ace of clubs, ruffed his last club in dummy, took the A-K of diamonds and exited with a trump. He hoped West would have no more diamonds, but West led a third diamond to East, and a heart return gave the defense two more tricks.

South was unlucky that trumps broke 3-0 and West had the ace of hearts as well. But if South plans well ahead for his trip, he will duck the first club! Since he can pitch a diamond from dummy on the ace later, he is only trading one loser for another.

South wins the next club with the king and takes the K-A of trumps. He discards a diamond from dummy on the ace of clubs, takes the K-A of diamonds and ruffs his last diamond in dummy. South then exits with a trump, and West must concede a trick to the king of hearts or concede a ruff-sluff.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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