Trickle-Down Investment
by George Coffin

Opening lead: K.  South follows suit.
West to make 4.

In real life, west surely would not be allowed to declare at such as low level; also, the auction might provide clues to the opponents' distribution.  That, however, is composer's license; if the trumps were changed from hearts to spades, the conditions would seem less improbable.

The key to a guarantee of the contract is a simple count of potential tricks.  One club and nine hearts are sufficient;  therefore, declarer wins the club lead, then ruffs a club with the A and a diamond with the K!  Now, another club ruff brings the total tricks to ten, at no jeopardy whatever.  Any other line risks a possible overruff and a trump return.

What a simple hand this was!  Yet somewhere in Bridgeland today, a player will go set needlessly in a situation such as this.