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Deception plays an important role in bridge and can be utilized by either side during the play. It is generally easier for declarer to indulge in deception, since he has no partner to fool, but there are times when a defender can attempt to mislead declarer without running the risk of deceiving his partner.
Take this case where declarer went wrong because of a fine deceptive play by a defender. West led a club, won by the ace, and declarer played a trump to the jack, which held, followed by another trump to West's ace.
South ruffed the club return and led a spade to the jack. Had East taken the trick with the queen, there would have been no story to tell. But instead, East won with the ace and returned a low diamond.
Spurning the finesse, declarer rose with the ace and led a spade to the ten, expecting to win the trick and then discard his two remaining diamonds on dummy's spades. But East took the ten with the queen and cashed the king of diamonds, and South -- much to his chagrin -- went down one.
Had East won the first spade with the queen and returned a diamond, South would have had no choice but to try that finesse and so would have made the contract.
It is true that South could have made the hand by taking the diamond finesse, but he fell into a trap that just about anyone else would also have fallen into. So, rather than criticize South for his failure to make the contract, it is better to give credit where credit is due and congratulate East for finding the way to lead declarer astray.
Tomorrow: Bidding quiz.