North-South vulnerable. East deals.

North-South vulnerable. East deals.
NORTH
4
8 5
A K Q 7 6 2
10 7 4 3
WEST EAST
8 K J 10 9 7
10 9 4 3 2 K Q J
10 8 5 4 J 3
9 6 5 Q J 8
SOUTH
A Q 6 5 3 2
A 7 6
9
A K 2
The bidding:
EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH
1 Pass Pass 2
Pass 3NT Pass Pass
Pass
Opening lead: Eight of
With a 3-3 diamond split, three no trump is a cakewalk. Is there any way of handling a 4-2 split in this suit?
Despite having by far the best hand at the table, South had no valid course of action after East opened the bidding in his long suit. That is often the case. The hand is strong enough for one no trump but has the wrong shape and no source of tricks. However, after North reopened, South essayed three no trump and that ended the auction.
With no outside entry, West dutifully led his singleton spade. (A heart lead would not have helped since West has no entry.) Declarer captured East's nine with the queen and immediately started on diamonds. When East shows out on the third diamond, the contract was dead. Although two long cards in diamonds could be set up, there was no entry to cash them and declarer had to be satisfied with eight tricks.
There were additional chances to set up a ninth trick -- either a 3-3 club split or a favorable position in the suit would produce the additional trick.
After winning the first trick, declarer should immediately cash the ace and king of clubs and lead his remaining club. If nothing good happens, declarer can fall back on the diamond suit. As it is, when the suit divides evenly, dummy's 13th club is the fulfilling trick, and there is still a diamond entry to the table to cash it.
This 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
& copy;2006, Tribune Media Services
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