The game of bridge offers almost limitless scope for analyzing deals that have been played or that have been cast up to explain certain points of interest in bidding, play and defence. There are hundreds of exponents, experts and knowledgeable commentators who have enriched literature on various departments of the game aiming at improving efficiency and understanding of contract bridge.
Victor Mollo, a noted British bridge player and expert who has authored many instructive books on the game, has also contributed his talents in explaining certain finer points of the game in one of his books. Apart from the fact that a great number of developments have since been introduced during the last thirty years in interpretation and approach to modern bridge since the time when he wrote about the subject some twenty years ago. But the essence of intelligent approach remains valid even to this day.
The deal that he has advanced to explain interaction of psychology in the process of play has, no doubt, relevance, but a finer sense of approach to the game is to be appreciated in good measure. The deal in question is reproduced here.
WEST LED JACK OF HEARTS: The declarer having seen the dummy was overjoyed, as there were more than thirteen tricks to be scored. But soon he realized that there was no entry to the dummy to take advantage of either diamond honour cards or the queen of hearts and he was faced with a certain two losers in club suits.
The South thought, for a moment, and prayed that if the ten of spades is doubleton with either East or the West the contract is more than assured as he could enter the dummy with nine of spades. But it was not to be that way. However, he won the lead with the ace of hearts and played ace of spades on which West showed out demolishing his dream of finding doubleton spade ten. But he found another good play by playing the eight of spade at the third trick to tempt the East to win with the ten of spades, which would create an entry to the dummy with nine of spades.
At this point, East was surprised at getting an easy trick with the ten when he was already counting more than thirteen tricks for the declarer. But he had another flash of thought that why the declarer is allowing him to win a cheap trick. Then it dawned upon him that the South had no entry to the dummy to cash the diamond suit and he at once refused to win the trick. Thereby, foiled the psychological ploy by the South to lose an easy trick. So the South was helpless at the end and went down without having any advantage of the solid diamond suit in the dummy. In fact, the refusal of East to win the trick with the ten of spades was a superb maneuver and it was highly imaginative and intelligent defense by the East.
The bidding:
==================================== North East South West 1 D Pass 2 S Pass 2 NT Pass 3 S Pass 4 S Pass 5 C Pass 5 D Pass 6 S Pass ====================================
Dealer North
No side vulnerable
North
S 943
H Q75
D AKQJ
C 652
West
S -
H J1098
D 96432
C KJ103
East
S 1072
H 6432
D 10875
C Q9
South
S AKQJ865
H AK
D -
C A874
Golden Tip: The defence should remain at high alert to refuse to fall a prey by declarer's ploy.