AThe Bridge Corner
By Gary Mitchell, June 1, 2007

Opening Lead: Heart Queen

The bidding explained: When South rebid Spades, promising at least six, North placed the contract in the proper game, the eight-card Major fit.

The play: The defenders take the first two Heart tricks, and you trump the third. You plan to trump two Diamonds in dummy, so you play two rounds of Diamonds, and trump the third. East overtrumps, and leads back a Spade. You still have a Spade loser and a Diamond loser. Down one! “Gee partner, Spades were 5-0. What terrible luck! There was nothing I could have done”.

If you counted your losers at trick one, you see two Hearts, two Diamonds and maybe a Spade. Five in all. You need to avoid two of them. Trumping Diamonds in dummy is correct, but do it the right way. Trump the first Diamond with the Spade King. Then trump the second with the Spade eight. You do not care if that last one gets overtrumped. You can afford a Spade loser. 

Questions: email me at gary@smabridge.com. Lessons: Call 152-6351.