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Posted on Sat, May 4, 2013 : 5 a.m.

Bridge column, May 4: Another reason for fourth suit

By Philip Adler

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Christian Nestell Bovee, an epigrammatic writer who died in 1904, said, "Music is the fourth great material want -- first food, then clothes, then shelter, then music."

If alive today, he would surely relegate music to fifth behind food, clothes, shelter and bridge.

In bridge, the fourth bid in an uncontested auction is game-forcing when it is in the fourth suit. Usually, responder is hunting for the best game, but sometimes he wants to suggest a slam.

Look at this deal. When North hears his partner rebid one spade, he knows game in spades should be easy and that a slam might be possible. Jumping immediately to four spades does not do justice to his hand. Instead, he first forces to game with two diamonds. Then, after opener continues with three clubs, North jumps to four spades, which logically is a slam-try. Now South, with such a great hand, can take control with (Roman Key-Card) Blackwood before bidding seven spades or seven no-trump.

After West leads the diamond queen to the bare ace, how should South plan the play?

If declarer can play spades safely, he will have 13 tricks: four spades, one heart, two diamonds and six clubs.

The right play is to cash the spade king, planning to cross to dummy's ace. That works great here, uncovering the 4-1 break. However, East might throw South off the scent by playing his spade nine under declarer's king. If South thinks that is a singleton, he will next cash his spade queen and go down one.

Watch out for this falsecard.

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