Alder's NEA Bridge: The low cards carry the day

Jean de la Bruyere wrote, "Even the best-intentioned of great men need a few scoundrels around them." In today's deal, the declarer had many great men — honors — but he fell to defeat because he didn't make the best use of his scoundrels — the spot cards.

South picked up a gorgeous hand. North telephoned me to ask for advice, knowing I am the world's No. 1 authority on Yarboroughs.

South opened with an artificial two clubs and rebid three clubs to show his suit. North wanted to pass, but I told him I had done that once and missed a laydown five clubs. North heeded my advice. Now South showed his second suit. Again North wanted to pass, but I insisted that he give preference. South passed, somehow having gathered that North held a very weak hand.

West led the heart king. Declarer ruffed, drew trumps and continued with the spade ace and another spade. East won with the jack and returned a heart. South ruffed and played his other low spade. West cashed two tricks in the suit to defeat the contract.

"I had 25 points and only two losers. How could I have gone down?" lamented South.

North didn't need me at this point. "You overlooked the power of the spade eight and nine," he explained. "If the spades are breaking 3-3, all plays work, so assume they are 4-2. Then you need an honor to be doubleton. Your play works if someone has king-doubleton. However, if you follow the spade ace with the spade queen, you win against 10-doubleton and jackdoubleton, which is twice as likely."