Both vulnerable. North deals.

Both vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
x 10 6 4 2
u -J 9
v -K 8 5 2
w -7 5 3
WEST EAST
x -Q 9 x -J 7
u -A K 7 5 u -10 8 6 4 3
v -Q 10 3 v -6 4
w -K 10 8 4 w -Q J 6 2
SOUTH
x -A K 8 5 3
u -Q 2
v -A J 9 7
w -A 9
The bidding:
NORTH WEST SOUTH EAST
Pass Pass 1x vbl
2x Pass 3v Pass
4x Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of u
At duplicate pairs, whether or not you make your contract is of lesser importance than the number of tricks you take. On this deal from the Life Master Open Pairs at the recent Fall North American Championships held in Denver, see if you can match the defense of Bill Hugenberg of Grand Junction, Colo., sitting West.
North's raise to two spades over the takeout double might seem like a stretch, but experience has shown that it is seldom right to pass with four-card support for partner's major. South made a help-suit game try and North judged that his fourth trump and diamond value merited a raise to game. Before criticizing North too harshly, switch South's nine of diamonds with the ten and, on the bidding, game depends essentially on a 2-2 spade break.
West led the ace of hearts and continued with the king. West could have assured a one-trick set by switching to a club, but he found the one card that caused declarer to go wrong. With what card did West exit?
Move to the top of the class if you selected the nine of spades! Declarer covered with dummy's ten and captured the jack with the ace. After cashing the ace of clubs, South exited with the nine, won by West's ten. The defender continued with the king of clubs. Declarer ruffed in hand and led the jack of diamonds, hoping to pin the ten. West covered with the queen, declarer won with the king and led a low spade to his eight and was shocked when it lost to the queen.
West rubbed salt into declarer's wound by giving declarer a ruff-sluff that was of no use. South still had to concede a diamond trick for down two and a bottom score.
XThis column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter for bridge players, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680. Send e-mail to gorenbridge@aol.com.
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