BRIDGE

"What is the reply to "See you later, alligator?" asked East cryptically after this deal. It would certainly have helped if his partner had remembered the old catch-phrase.

South opened One Spade, North raised, and South jumped directly to Four Spades against which West led the king of diamonds. A club switch would have been more purposeful but West continued diamond and declarer ruffed.

With an almost loser in clubs, it looked to South as though everything would depend on finding the missing hearts breaking 3-2. He found a neat way, however, of improving his chances.

South drew trumps in two rounds (fortunately finding the suit 2-2) and ruffed the last diamond to eliminate the suit. Then, instead of lazily cashing his top hearts, he exited with a low heart. If the trick in the suit now or later.

Furthermore, his play might succeed by force if East held the singleton queen of hearts and the king of clubs when, on lead, he would have to concede a ruff and discard or lead a club.

There was a final point - if the hearts lay as they did and West played low, the ending would be the same. It happened just like that, prompting East's remark. West should have gone in with the queen of hearts, swallowing his partner's jack - the so-called Crocodile Coup. Remember? "In a little while, crocodile".

EAST-WEST GAME: Dealer South

North

] A Q 5

_ 8 6 5 3

+ 9 7 4

[ Q 8 6

West East

] 6 2 ] 9 4

_ Q 10 9 2 _ J

+ K Q 10 6 3 + A 8 5 2

[ J 10 [ K 9 5 4 3 2

South

] K J 10 8 7 3

_ A K 7 4

+ J

[ A 7