Time the play to make a contract

Hesiod, an ancient Greek poet, said, "Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important factor."

Right on! Many things in life require good timing: Meeting a potential spouse, a golf swing, music, and making or breaking a bridge contract.

In bridge, the order in which the cards are played often makes the difference between success and failure - as in today's deal. How should South time four spades after West leads the heart king?

In the auction, North wasn't thrilled to bid two spades, but he did have seven points and three-card support. South would have liked a singleton, but he had so many aces and kings that he couldn't stop short of game.

Declarer begins by counting the losers in his hand. He has four: one spade (assuming trumps are 3-2; if they are 4-1, the contract has no chance), two hearts and one club. It is possible that clubs will be worth three tricks, but that is slightly against the odds. Instead, South should plan to ruff his last heart in the dummy. But it requires careful timing.

Suppose declarer wins the first trick and returns a heart, West can take the trick and lead a third heart. Here, East overruffs the dummy, leads a club to his partner's ace, and ruffs another heart, which effects an uppercut. West gets two trump tricks for down two.

Instead, declarer should duck the first trick, win the second with his heart ace, and draw two rounds of trumps before ruffing his last heart in the dummy. Even if East could overruff, it would be with his natural trump trick.