Bridge: You should ruff, but in which suit?

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April 27, 2012

Bridge: You should ruff, but in which suit?

BRIDGE Phillip Alder The Gloucester Daily Times Fri Apr 27, 2012, 12:02 AM EDT

Herman Kahn, founder of the Hudson Institute think tank and a prominent military strategist who died in 1983, said, "A surprising number of government committees will make important decisions on fundamental matters with less attention than each individual would give to buying a suit."

Sadly, isn't that the truth? In bridge, though, we should pay attention to all four suits, whatever we are wearing. In this deal, how should South plan the play in six spades after West leads the heart king? What is West's more effective lead?

South has four potential losers: one heart and three diamonds. And since he has to make use of his diamond suit, declarer should attack that suit first.

After cashing the ace and king of diamonds, South ruffs the third diamond with dummy's spade king. If they are 3-3, he can draw trumps and claim. But when they turn out to be 4-2, declarer plays a club to his ace and leads another diamond. However, instead of ruffing (East would overruff and cash a heart), South discards dummy's remaining heart. In a moment, declarer will ruff his heart loser on the board, draw trumps, and claim. He transfers a dangerous ruff in one suit (diamonds) to a safe ruff in another (hearts).

Also, yes, South could make that loser-on-loser play at trick four. And an initial trump lead would be fatal.

******

North04-27-12

SPADES K 3 2

HEARTS 7 4

DIAMONDS 6 3

CLUBS J 8 6 5 3 2

WestEast

SPADES 8 5SPADES 7 6 4

HEARTS K Q 10 9HEARTS J 8 5 3 2

DIAMONDS J 9 8 5DIAMONDS Q 10

CLUBS Q 9 4CLUBS K 10 7