Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
A 7 4 2
10 7 4 3 2
Q 6
A Q
WEST EAST
Q 10 5 9 8 6
Void J 8 6 5
A K J 8 5 2 10 4
10 9 5 4 8 7 6 3
SOUTH
K J 3
A K Q 9
9 7 3
K J 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1NT 2 3 Pass
3 Pass 4 Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of
Especially when you are playing bridge for coin of the realm, pessimism pays. Consider this deal.
North's three-diamond cue-bid was Stayman, asking partner to bid a four-card major if he had one. South obliged and North raised to game in hearts.
West led the king and ace of diamonds, everyone following as East echoed by first following with the ten. West continued with the jack. Both the bidding and play marked West with an original holding of six diamonds. Nevertheless South, an eternal optimist, elected to ruff with the 10 since, if East overruffed, a successful finesse for the queen of spades would still land the contract. That was not to be. A more cautious approach would have landed the game.
On the third diamond declarer should discard a spade from dummy. Best is for West to shift to a club. Declarer rises with the ace and leads a trump to the queen. When West shows out on this trick, declarer returns to dummy with the queen of clubs and takes a finesse for the jack of hearts. After drawing two more round of trumps, declarer cashes the king of clubs for another spade discard, and the last three tricks are taken by the king and ace of spades and the table's long heart.
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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