When leader knows, he tells partner

[Photo/China Daily]

Henry Morgan, a 17th-century Welsh pirate who along the Spanish Main became a multimillionaire in today's dollars, said, "A kleptomaniac is a person who helps himself because he can't help himself."

In yesterday's deal, East had to help West steal the contract from South. In today's deal, West can return the favor - how?

South is in three no-trump. West leads a fourth-highest spade six, which is covered by the three, 10 and jack. South immediately attacks diamonds. What should happen after that?

North was a tad aggressive in jumping to three no-trump, but he hoped his diamond suit would provide five winners.

East does not know the strength of West's spade suit. If West has ace-queen-or ace-jack-fifth, the defenders can capture one diamond and four spades. Here, though, that does not happen. If East returns a spade after taking the diamond ace, South makes his contract.

First, West should play high-low in diamonds to show his doubleton. Then East should hold up his diamond ace until the third round to give West a chance to make an informative discard.

If West has strong spades, he pitches a low heart or club. Here, though, he must throw a spade to warn East that that suit is not a source of tricks. Then East should shift to the heart three, which gives the defenders four more tricks to defeat the contract.