Bridge: Dummy finds the way in

THERE were plenty of tricks available in Four Spades on this deal and only three apparent losers, but there were entry problems.

Declarer tried one approach, which failed, and later suggested a successful - if fortuitous - alternative. It was left to dummy to put forward the best solution.

Game all; dealer North

North

K 3

K 6 5

K 5

A K Q 10 7 3

West

J 10 5 2

A Q J 3

A 10 9 3

2

East

9

10 9 8 7 4

Q 8 7 4

9 8 6

South

A Q 8 7 6 4

2

J 6 2

J 5 4

North opened One Club and South responded One Spade. North then bid Three Clubs (a rebid in no-trumps would have been more purposeful) and raised his partner's bid of Three Spades to game. West found the best attack against Four Spades when he led the ace and another diamond.

After winning with dummy's king, declarer continued with the king and another trump and now found himself with three more certain losers.

'Rather than lead trumps, I do better to come to hand with a club, ruff my diamond, cash the king of spades and then simply lead clubs,' commented South. True, this line works as the cards lie, but could easily fall, even against a 3-2 trump break. Although it looks unnatural, dummy's idea was to lead a low heart from dummy at trick 3. This creates both a quick entry to South's hand, and cuts the defenders' communications.

Say West wins and plays a trump. Declarer wins on the table, ruffs a heart and then a diamond. After another heart ruff, he cashes two more rounds of trumps, then plays on clubs. Now, he loses at the very most one spade, one heart and one diamond.