BRIDGE NOTES: Use the bait to hook

Bridge is a logical game. So much depends on all the logical assumptions you make to judge which way the cards possibly lie and to what extent and direction is the high card point stack leaning against you. May a time players rely on useful inferences gathered from the bidding clues provided or the possible lines available pointing a preferential order that is as much pragmatic as logical.
This can only come about if bridge players know what is in store for them as far as their losers are concerned and then if they possess that ability to sift through all the options available so as to come to a more accurate judgement in the choice of card play.
More often than not, players make a hasty decision and go about their assumptions in a one track mind that ultimately proves fatal. It has been time and again emphasised that hasty play and judgement can cost clearly. And it costs nothing if you take an extra moment of meditation, concentrate on the choices available and be pragmatic to make a practicable sound move backed by logical judgement. Invariably the good players come up with far better options in play than the less gifted ones. Not because they have an intuition or knack of card reading. But because they think first and act later. And in thinking they are not just idealistic or go about using idyllic settings favourable for their contract. They believe in the hard reality and test every possible option that could be beneficial for them.
Today's hand is a test in declarer play and placing you in the declarer's seat as south, how do you go about making 4H on the following hand after the bidding has kept the opponents silent with north south opening 1H and north responding 4H? West leads the diabolically killing low diamond as the opening lead and the following hands come to light as under:-
One look at the dummy is enough to sink your heart for the opening diamond lead straight away opens up 2 diamond losers for you with a sure spade loser. You can't afford a trump loser now, can you? What are the possibilities that crop up in your mind? Is it accepting the inevitable or are there other possible lines of play that could cut your losers.
Well there is no doubt that the thought would strike you in taking the club finesse of the jack which if successful would reduce your diamond losers by half, from two to one. Then even if the trump finesse loses, you are home with just a diamond, spade and heart losers.
But what if the club finesse fails? And you lose a club, 2 diamonds and eventually a spade for one down when all the time, the trump finesse could be on. So that would make you look silly and hasty in judgement. Bridge, as I said, requires a cool head on your shoulder and an analytical mind wherein you need to assume logically which line of play has the potentiality of success for you. It is not a mere matter of judgement whither to go for the trump finesse or the club finesse. Sometimes in play there is nothing to it but luck of judgement in choosing the one successful option out of the two. But here, in our problem, there is a logical solution that has a greater probability of success which most of us may overlook.
Did you spot it? Yes, at least make an attempt in the right direction, for after all opponents are also human prone to vulnerability and the rules of the game. The solution lies in using a red herring-an old ruse to raise your probability ratio. In with the diamond ace, play the J of trumps first and if west does not cover then, most probably if not certainly he does not have the trump king. So rise with ace of trumps knowing that now the only chance lies in taking the club finesse to curtail your diamond losers. Bridge is like a fishing exercise. Use the bait to hook.

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North          South

(Dummy)   (Declarer)

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Q742              A5

J753          AQ1064

 A63             872

  A8             KJ3

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