BRIDGE

Consider team-of-four this deal match. from The a final contract at both tables was four spades, and the opening lead by West in each case was the queen of diamonds. However, the declarer at the first table made the contract, while the declarer at the second table went down one.

At the first table, declarer ruffed the queen of diamonds, cashed the A-K of hearts and played a third heart, West following with the queen. When South ruffed with dummy's jack, East overruffed with the king and returned a low club.

West took South's king of clubs with the ace and returned the jack of diamonds. Declarer ruffed and played the queen of trump, won by West with the ace. Back came another diamond, ruffed by South. Declarer then cashed the ten of trump, and when both defenders followed, South had the rest of the tricks and his game.

At the second table, after ruffing West's diamond lead and cashing the A-K of hearts, declarer also played a third heart and ruffed it with the jack. But here East discarded a diamond instead of overruffing the jack with the king.

As a result of this play, declarer could not avoid going down. Regardless of how he continued, he had to lose three trump tricks as well as a club.

East's refusal to overruff the jack with the king at trick four was based on his realization that it was almost impossible for him to gain a trick by overruffing, while he might gain a trick by discarding instead. So East bided his time and was ultimately rewarded for his thoughtful play.

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