Yesterday, we looked at a deal in which a defender had to resist the temptation to overruff declarer. Today, we look at another tempting play that would catch out most people, perhaps even Oscar Wilde (although I doubt he could play bridge).

South is in six spades. West leads the heart queen. How can South make his contract?

North’s three-heart cue-bid showed spade support and at least game-invitational values. East’s double said that he had something useful in hearts. So, because it appeared that North had nothing wasted in hearts, South bid what he hoped he could make.

South seems to have two unavoidable losers: one diamond and one club. And most players would almost give up without a fight. They would win the first trick on the board, discarding a club, draw trumps (staying on the board), and lead a low club, hoping East would have the ace and not play it. Here, though, West would take the trick and the contract would fail.

Now go back to trick one. South should ruff in his hand, not play dummy’s ace. Then, he cashes the spade ace, which removes the opponents’ trumps. Next, since West is a favorite to have the club ace based on the bidding, South leads his low club. How does West defend?

If he takes the trick, South has three winners — the heart ace, club king and club jack — on which to discard his three losing diamonds. And if West ducks his ace, declarer, after taking the trick on the board, throws his club queen on the heart ace. He loses only one diamond.

It’s heads I win, tails they lose.

United Feature Syndicate