“Here’s what’s frustrating,” Cy the Cynic said to me. “I make a normal, casual play without a care in the world — and I pay for it in cold cash.”
Cy was today’s West in a penny game. “What do you think of South’s bidding?” he asked me.
“He should have bid four spades at his third turn and left any further move to North,” I said. “His Blackwood bid of 4NT was too bold.”
“He survived,” the Cynic said. “Against five spades I led the queen of diamonds and then . . . the jack. South ruffed, cashed the ace of spades and led a club to dummy’s king. East couldn’t gain by playing low; he took the ace and led a trump.
“South won with the 10, ruffed dummy’s last diamond, took the queen of clubs and ruffed a club. He led a heart to dummy, ruffed a club, got back with a high heart and drew East’s last trump with the nine. The ace of hearts won the 13th trick.”
“I see your point,” I said. “To lead another diamond at Trick Two looked routine but let declarer execute a dummy reversal.”
Cy’s problem was harder than he knew. Unless he shifts to a club at the second trick, South can (in theory) still take 11 tricks. Say Cy shifts to a heart. South can take the king, draw trumps, cash the ace of hearts and lead a club to the king. If East wins, he is end-played. If he plays low, dummy can lead another club for the same result.
A club shift at the second trick lets East win and exit safely.
It’s a tough game!