Neither vulnerable. South deals.

Neither vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
x K 8 4 2
u 9 8 7 2
v K Q 2
w Q J
WEST EAST
x Q 9 3 x A 6 5
u J 5 u 10 4
v 5 4 3 v J 10 7 6
w K 10 4 3 2 w A 9 8 6
SOUTH
x J 10 7
u A K Q 6 3
v A 9 8
w 7 5
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1u Pass 3u Pass
4u Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Five of v
Study the diagram above, then decide: Would you rather play or defend four spades after the lead of the five of diamonds?
North's jump raise to three hearts was invitational, showing four-card support and 10-12 points. With a sound opening bid, South had a clear raise to game.
Suppose you elect to defend. Declarer wins the opening lead, draws trumps in two rounds, clears the diamonds and exits with a club. Best is to allow East to win the second club and, if East leads the 13th diamond, declarer will discard a spade while ruffing in dummy, return to hand with a trump and lead the jack of spades. If declarer guesses which defender holds the queen of spades and which the ace, he succeeds; if not he goes down one.
Suppose instead East elects to return a low spade, covered by the jack and queen and taken with the king. Now a spade back to the ten produces the 10th trick.
However, you were right to choose to defend. When declarer plays the jack of spades on East's low spade, you must withhold the queen! No matter how declarer proceeds, he now must lose two spade tricks and the contract goes down one. Try it.
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.
& copy; 2006, Tribune Media Services
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.