Here is a fine hand from a team-of-four match. At the first table, the bidding went as shown, and West led the king of spades. Declarer ruffed with dummy’s jack and played the king of trump. East took the ace and returned a trump.

Declarer won with the nine and ruffed his last spade with dummy’s last trump. Then, with the contract assured if he could draw East’s remaining trump, he played the A-K of clubs, planning to ruff the next club. Unfortunately, East ruffed the second club, and South later lost a heart finesse to finish down one.

The play started identically at the second table, where the contract was also five diamonds. Here, too, declarer ruffed the spade lead high and led the king of diamonds, East taking the ace and returning a trump. And here also, South ruffed a spade in dummy and cashed the ace of clubs — but then came a parting of the ways.

Declarer realized he would be running an unnecessary risk by continuing with the king of clubs, since there was certainly a possibility that East might ruff it. So he led a low club from dummy at this point, being perfectly willing to lose a club trick in order to ensure the contract.

West won the club with the six and returned the queen, but South was now in full control. He ruffed the club, drew East’s last trump and then discarded his heart loser on the king of clubs to finish with 11 tricks.

South’s well-thought-out safety play paid exceptionally fine dividends.

Tomorrow: He shoulda stood in bed.