“He only does it to annoy Because he knows it teases.” – Lewis Carroll

You always should be courteous to your bridge opponents, but there is one situation when it is perfectly acceptable to irritate the opponents at the table – innocently, of course – by offering them a “heads I win, tails you lose” play.

In today’s deal you have to spot the play that will give the opponents a choice of losing options.

You are in four spades, a contract that looks simple enough until West finds the best lead for his side: a trump.

Now you are threatened with the loss of two tricks in clubs and two in hearts since there are no guaranteed entries to dummy.

Look what happens if you win the opening lead and try a club to the jack and king, a seemingly natural play. East wins and returns a second trump.

Now, if the defenders can work out to pitch all their diamonds early, you will wind up with only nine tricks.

(As a defender, would you be able to work out to do that?)

The winning line is to take the first trump and advance the club queen.

Note the difference. If a defender takes this trick, the club jack serves as an entry to dummy for that precious discard on the diamond ace.

If they duck, you ruff a club in dummy and make an overtrick.

Bid with the aces

South holds:

Answer: This hand is tailor-made for a jump to three diamonds, showing the values for a raise to three hearts or better, plus a good diamond suit.

After all, would you not rather see partner lead a diamond than a heart if your LHO declares spades?