Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
6 5
J 9 8 4 3 2
K 8
J 7 3
WEST EAST
J 10 9 3 2
Q 10 6 5 K
5 2 J 10 7 6 4
Q 10 8 5 4 2 A K 6
SOUTH
A K Q 8 7 4
A 7
A Q 9 3
9
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
1 Pass 1NT Pass
4 Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Five of
This deal is from a major pair tournament. Despite the quality of the field, a surprisingly large percentage of the North-South players achieved a minus score.
The auction cannot be faulted. With 19 high-card points and a good six-card suit, once North showed some values South's jump to four spades on the second round is impeccable.
West led his fourth-best club. East won with the king and continued with the ace for South to ruff. Declarer crossed to dummy with a diamond to the king, returned to hand with a diamond to the ace and continued with a third round, intending to ruff in dummy. Unfortunately in the words of Robert Burns, declarer's plan "went agley" when West ruffed with the jack. Because of the 4-1 trump split, Declarer still had to lose a trump and a heart for down one.
South complained bitterly about the distribution. It was indeed unlucky, but it was North who should have been complaining about South's technique. After winning the second diamond, it would have cost declarer nothing to cash one high trump before going for the diamond ruff. Four spades would then have coasted home.
& copy; 2007, Tribune Media Services
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