Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
Q 9 3
K Q 8 5 2
Q 6 4
10 7
WEST EAST
A 4 10 5
A 10 9 6 3 7 4
8 K J 10 7 3
A J 6 5 2 Q 8 4 3
SOUTH
K J 8 7 6 2
J
A 9 5 2
K 9
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 2 Pass Pass
2 Pass 3 Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: Eight of
Against three spades, West led the eight of diamonds to East's ten and South's ace. Declarer returned the jack of hearts. Looking at all four hands, can you equal West's feat of defeating the contract?
The auction might seem a little strange. North-South were playing negative doubles; hence a double of two hearts by North would have been for takeout. North had to pass and hope South would reopen with a double, but the South hand was not suitable for that action. When North raised spades, it indicated that he would have passed a reopening double.
Sitting West was Bill Pollack of Englewood Cliffs, N.J. He came up with a spectacular defense. At trick two he rose with the ace of hearts and shifted to the jack of clubs!
Declarer had no counter. To refuse the trick would give the defenders two club tricks, and one trick in each of the other suits, so South had to win, lead a spade and hope -- to no avail. Pollack rose with the ace of spades and returned a club to East's queen, who cashed the king of diamonds and returned a diamond for West to ruff -- down one.
This column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680
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