North-South vulnerable. North deals.

North-South vulnerable. North deals.
NORTH
A 10 4
A
9 5 4 3
A J 10 4 3
WEST EAST
J 9 2 Q 8 7 5
Q 9 7 6 3 K J 5
Q 8 7 J 10 2
9 7 K 6 5
SOUTH
K 6 3
10 8 4 2
A K 6
Q 8 2
The bidding:
NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST
1 Pass 2NT Pass
3NT Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Six of
It is natural to conserve your assets -- not to spend them needlessly. But there are times when you have to make an investment in your play if you are to succeed.
With a flat hand containing one pitiful four-card suit, South elected to upgrade his queen in partner's suit and jump to two no trump in response to North's one-club opening. North had no rebid other than a raise to three no trump.
West led his fourth-best heart, declarer played dummy's ace perforce and East followed with the five. Declarer came to hand with the king of diamonds and ran the queen of clubs to East's king. The defender cashed the king of hearts and continued with the jack, but that ended the defense. If West overtook with the queen, South's ten would be a stopper; if West played low, he had no fast entry to cash the hearts. There was no way to stop declarer collecting nine tricks -- four clubs, two each in spades and diamonds and the ace of hearts.
East buried the defense at trick one. Instead of the five of hearts, he should have jettisoned the jack under the ace. Now when East wins the king of clubs, he can cash the king of hearts and return the five and West, with Q 9 poised over the 10 8, can collect three heart tricks for a one-trick set.
The reason for the play of the jack of hearts is two-fold: It is a come-on signal for the suit should West gain the lead, and it unblocks the suit for partner. File it under "U" for unblock.
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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