If he eliminates, you must play high

Hans Hofmann, a German-born American painter who was the catalyst of the Abstract Expressionist movement, said, "The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."

We have reached the third example of second hand high -- when declarer is planning an elimination and endplay. Declarer will have drawn trumps, eliminated two side suits, and is leading the last side suit. Second hand must play high to try to keep his partner from being endplayed. This deal is a textbook example.

North's four-spade rebid promises at least four-card support, but denies any first- or second-round control. He might have zero points. South's final bid is thus a gamble, but who would do less?

Against six spades, West leads the queen of hearts.

At first glance, the contract appears to depend on the club finesse. However, that club eight gives declarer an extra possibility. After winning trick one, South draws trumps, cashes the ace-king of diamonds, takes his second top heart, and ruffs the heart two in the dummy. With the red suits eliminated, declarer calls for a low club.

If East plays low, South covers with the eight, endplaying West. He must either return a club from his king into declarer's ace-queen or concede a ruff-and-sluff. But if East knows his second-hand-high theory, he will go up with the club 10 and defeat the contract. The defense must get two club tricks.

Copyright 2009, Newspaper Enterprise Assn.

North

@date2:11-07-09

@handtext: SPADES 9 8 6 4 3

HEARTS 7 5

DIAMONDS 10 5

CLUBS 6 4 3 2

West East

@handtext:SPADES 5 SPADES 7 2

HEARTS Q J 10 9 HEARTS 8 6 4 3

DIAMONDS 9 7 6 4 3 DIAMONDS Q J 8 2

CLUBS K J 9 CLUBS 10 7 5

South

@handtext: SPADES A K Q J 10

HEARTS A K 2

DIAMONDS A K

CLUBS A Q 8

@vulnerable:Dealer: South

Vulnerable: East-West