By Phillip Alder

That well-known author A.N. Onymous said, "Nine out of 10 people who change their minds are wrong the second time too."

If true, that is depressing. But golfers can relate. When they have a mulligan (a second chance at the same shot), perhaps half the time the do-over shot is as bad or worse than the first.

At the bridge table, though, if you could play a contract a second time, you would almost always do better because you would know where the missing cards lie. In this deal, many would go down the first time, but most would see how to make it with their mulligan.

How should South play in three no-trump after West leads the spade jack?

South's game-invitational rebid of two no-trump was a tad cautious, but understandable without a full club stopper. North's three hearts accepted the game invitation and indicated three-card support, in case South had five hearts.

Many would win with the spade king, cash the diamond ace and spade ace, then play a diamond to dummy's queen. West's discard would be a mortal blow. Instead of the anticipated 10 tricks, they would end with seven or eight.

A good declarer guarantees five diamond tricks (unless they break 5-0) and nine in all by -- no joke -- leading his diamond seven at trick two and playing low from the board. He wins East's club-king shift with dummy's ace, plays a diamond to his ace, cashes the second high spade, leads a heart to dummy's ace, and runs the diamonds. He takes two spades, one heart, five diamonds and one club.

Copyright 2011, United Feature Syndicate