Bridge: Sept. 24, 2023

Alfred Sheinwold, who founded this column as “Sheinwold on Bridge,” wrote wonderful columns challenging the reader to “find the criminal”: to discern who had erred. In some deals, it’s hard to find an innocent man.

Today’s South opened one club, planning to bid spades twice. But North’s sequence — one diamond, then a jump to three — was invitational, and since South had only 11 high-card points and no tolerance for diamonds, he risked getting overboard if he bid a third time. Still, South stuck to his plan; he passed gratefully when North bid four spades.

West led the jack of hearts, and South won and led a club to dummy’s king. East took the ace and led the king of hearts, and South ruffed and took the queen of clubs. He next tried to avoid an overruff on the third club by taking the A-K of trumps … and West discarded.

South then ruffed a club with dummy’s last trump. East overruffed and led another heart, but South ruffed, drew East’s last trump with the queen, and won three more tricks with good clubs. Making four.

Were crimes committed?

Casting aside the bidding — South might have opened one spade — both South and East erred. When South ruffs a third club in dummy, East must discard. South must ruff something to return to his hand and loses control.

South should ruff a third club without drawing any trumps. If East discards, South takes his high trumps and leads good clubs. He maintains control, and the defense gets only East’s high trump and a diamond.

South dealer

Both sides vulnerable

NORTH

S A 6 3

H Q 2

D Q 10 8 7 4 2

C K 5

WEST

S 7

H J 10 9 8 5

D A J 6 3

C J 10 8

EAST

S J 10 9 2

H K 7 6 4 3

D K 9

C A 9

SOUTH

S K Q 8 5 4

H A

D 5

C Q 7 6 4 3 2

South West North East
1 C Pass 1 D Pass
1 S Pass 3 D Pass
3 S Pass 4 S All Pass
Opening lead — H J

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