Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x 10 8 4
u 8 7 5
v K Q 10 5 4
w A Q
WEST EAST
x A K Q 5 3 x 9 7 2
u A 9 2 u 10 4
v 8 6 v 9 7 2
w 9 4 2 w J 10 8 5 3
SOUTH
x J 6
u K Q J 6 3
v A J 3
w K 7 6
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u 1x 2v Pass
3v Pass 3u Pass
4u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of x
High cards are useful assets, whether declaring or defending. But when you obviously don't have the firepower, you must resort to other methods to win the battle.
After West overcalled South's one-heart opening bid with one spade, North had available a spade cue-bid to show a limit raise or better in opener's suit. However, he did not want to make that bid with only three-card support, so he showed his suit and then, after South raised diamonds, showed his heart support. With the double fit, South continued to game.
West cashed the king and ace of spades and, when East showed an odd number of cards in the suit by following up the line, West decided that to continue spades was pointless and shifted to a club, hoping to find partner with the king. Declarer won with the ace in dummy, forced out the ace of hearts and claimed 10 tricks.
West should have realized that it was pointless to expect East to win any trick with high cards. If the contract was to be defeated, the setting trick had to come from the trump suit. After banking two spades, West should have continued with the queen of spades. Declarer can ruff and force out the ace of hearts, but West then leads a fourth spade and East ruffs with the ten. Declarer can overruff with an honor, but that promotes West's nine of hearts to the setting trick.
& copy; 2005 Tribune Media Services
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