If you bid up, play up also

Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese artist, poet and writer, said, "The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind."

That is so true. At the bridge table, after bidding, you must apply your mind to winning the requisite number of tricks. In today's deal, South pushes into six hearts. West leads the spade 10 to South's ace. How should declarer continue?

In the auction, South's two-heart rebid was forcing, since North's two-over-one response guaranteed a rebid. When South heard about respectable heart support, he plunged into Black wood. He upgraded for his secondary club fit.

If trumps are 2-2, there will be no problems. If they are 4-0, the contract has no chance. But what if they are 3-1? Then it looks as if declarer would need the club finesse to work. However, there is another possibility.

South cashes his heart ace, plays a diamond to dummy's ace, ruffs a diamond in his hand, leads a heart to dummy's king (getting the bad news), and ruffs the last diamond. Then declarer plays off his other two spade winners. With his preparations complete, South exits with a trump, giving East the lead.

Here, East has only clubs left in his hand, so must play away from his queen into dummy's ace-jack. Note, though, that if East still has a spade or diamond in his hand, declarer would ruff and take the club finesse.