Neither vulnerable. South deals.

Neither vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
10 9 6 2
Q J 10 8
J 7 3 2
9
WEST EAST
A Q 8 5 J 7
5 7 3
A K Q 4 10 9 8 6 5
A K Q 6 8 5 4 3
SOUTH
K 4 3
A K 9 6 4 2
Void
J 10 7 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 Dbl 2 Pass
4 Dbl Pass Pass
Pass
Opening lead: King of
Looking at all four hands, can you match the skill of British internationalist Claude Rodrigue and bring home your doubled heart game after the lead of a top diamond?
Holding more than half the points in the deck, West found it hard to believe that the opponents were contracting for 10 tricks. He was quick to double, and almost as quick to regret it. It did not take long for him to learn that distribution and technique could prevail over high cards.
The king of diamonds was led, and Rodrigue could see four possible losers -- three in spades since West surely held at least the ace and another spade honor, and at least one club. Rodrigue played impeccably. He ruffed the opening lead in hand and led the two of clubs. West was not caught napping. He won with the queen of clubs and switched to his singleton trump, covered with dummy's eight and overtaken with the nine. Declarer alternated three club ruffs in dummy with two diamond ruffs in hand, ending on the table.
Now declarer led the jack of diamonds from the table and discarded a spade from hand. West would win and cash the ace of spades, but that set up declarer's king of spades as the fulfilling trick.
Note that if, at trick three you win the heart shift in dummy, you will not be able to reach the winning end position. Try 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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