The Tuscaloosa News – 29 Mar 2001
Some people’s idea of teamwork is me, myself and I, but that approach won’t work at bridge.
When West led his diamond against South’s game, South put up dummy’s ace and led the king of clubs. East took the ace and cashed the queen of diamonds (so West would know who had the king and the jack).
When West threw a club, East continued with the king and ten of diamonds, hoping to promote a trump trick for his partner. South ruffed high, cashed the queen of clubs, ruffed his last club in dummy and drew trumps.
He could then lead to the ace of spades and pitch a spade on dummy’s last diamond.
THROUGH DUMMY
A cooperative defense beats the contract. West must assume East has the king of spades; but then West must lead a spade through dummy before South can use the diamonds. Since West has only low trumps, he loses nothing by ruffing East’s queen of diamonds at Trick Three to lead a spade; and then South loses four tricks.
At bridge, spell cooperation with two letters: US.