2Both vulnerable. South deals.

2Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
A Q
A K Q J
7 3 2
7 5 4 3
WEST EAST
K J 8 6 5 4 3 2
7 6 5 4 3 2 Void
4 J 10 9 6
K 10 8 2 A 9 6
SOUTH
10 9 7
10 9 8
A K Q 8 5
Q J
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 Pass 1 Pass
1NT Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Two of
If, as a defender, you know declarer has a surprise in store, make him commit before he knows the lie of the cards. Consider this deal.
South's opening bid might be questionable to purists but it is in style these days. The rest of the auction was impeccable, and a normal contract was the result.
West led his fourth-best club, East rose with the ace dropping the jack. The return of the nine fetched the queen, so the defense started with four club tricks, on the last of which East discarded the eight of spades.
West paused to take stock. Since declarer had started with a doubleton club and denied four cards in either major (he did not bid spades or raise hearts at his second turn), his likely distribution was 3-3-5-2. In addition, he was marked with the three top diamonds for his opening bid. Left to his own devices, with passive defense declarer would learn about the 4-1 diamond break and would have to fall back on the spade finesse for his contract, and that would land nine tricks.
There was only one way to prevent that. After cashing the fourth club, West must shift to the jack of spades! Expecting to take five diamond tricks, declarer will rise with the ace of spades and try to run diamonds. As the cards lie, that yields only eight tricks. If declarer takes the spade finesse rather than rise with the ace of spades and play for the diamonds to break, West should hold his cards back!
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. Send e-mail to gorenbridge@aol.com.
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