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Posted on Mon, Jul 1, 2013 : 5 a.m.

Bridge column, July 1: Step from one trick to the next

By Philip Alder

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Thomas Mann, a German author who won the 1929 Nobel Prize in literature and lived in the United States from 1939 to 1952, said, "Order and simplification are the first steps toward the mastery of a subject."

The declarer should step through the order of the tricks in his mind. Today's South is in five clubs. West leads the heart king. When East signals enthusiastically with his nine, West continues with a low heart. East wins with his ace and shifts to a spade. How should South continue?

North's redouble showed 10 or more high-card points. East jumped to two hearts to indicate at least a five-card suit. He was not promising a strong hand, because he was marked with weakness. If South had opening values, West enough for a takeout double, and North 10-plus points, how could East have much?

South took the opportunity to show he had long clubs. Then North bid what he hoped his partner could make.

Should South finesse in spades at trick three?

Well, suppose the finesse wins. What would happen next?

Declarer draws trumps and must take the diamond finesse for his contract. But if the diamond finesse is winning, the spade finesse is an unnecessary risk.

South should win the third trick with his spade ace, cash the club ace, play a diamond to dummy's jack, return to his hand with a trump, repeat the diamond finesse, discard the spade queen on the diamond ace and claim.

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