Play your honour early if it is of no use

Qi Zhou ( China )

THIS is a hand I played years ago in a Pairs game:

Against Six Spades I led the jack of diamonds. After quite a while declarer played the ace and queen of diamonds and ruffed in hand. I couldn't figure out what took him so long to make the decision. With a doubleton I'd finesse; with a singleton I'd play the ace. It was simple enough. I was new to the area but my partner Dick seemed to know everyone. He told me that both North and South were grandmasters so declarer must have had some reason for his thought. Then came two rounds of trumps and a club from hand.

While I was following, whether I was a little bit too excited because I had had a few good scores or whether I was a bit nervous facing two grandmasters, a few cards dropped on to the table. Quickly I covered them with my hand and said to myself: 'Calm down' and put them back into my hand. The king of clubs was right side up on top of the fallen cards. If it had been seen by anyone it would have to be played. I was not sure, so I played it as if it was an exposed card. I didn't want complications later. Declarer seemed somewhat astonished. Reluctantly he covered with the ace.

After the queen and jack of clubs came a heart from dummy. My partner followed with the nine of hearts. Declarer didn't finesse. He put on the ace. Then came a small trump to dummy and another heart. This time he put on the queen. I made two heart tricks. Declarer said, 'One down, good defence.' I thought my partner's nine of hearts was good but it was not a difficult book play.

Later, while I was waiting at my table, Dick told me we were first in our section and that that hand had been nominated for a Best Defence prize. Some players came over to congratulate me. I thought they were mistaking me for East.

It was only on our way home that I found that some Souths had made Six Spades on that hand. The first four tricks were the same. Then a club from hand: West small, dummy the jack. Now a trump to hand and another club. West played the king and dummy ducked. West was endplayed. Declarer made his contract and his play was nominated for a Best Play prize. At my table, South was planning to play like that but my early king of clubs sabotaged him. So he recommended my king of clubs as Best Defence. Of course I didn't deserve the honour. But from then on I noticed that playing an otherwise useless honour earlier than necessary can often get some unexpected results. It seemed that all experts know this but occasionally forget.