Both vulnerable. West deals.

Both vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
J 5
K 9 3 2
K 10 2
A 8 6 5
WEST EAST
10 6 3 2 Q 9 4
A 4 10 7 6 5
A 8 5 4 7 6 3
K Q 10 9 4 2
SOUTH
A K 8 7
Q J 8
Q J 9
J 7 3
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
1 Pass Pass 1NT
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Two of
Bidding in the balancing seat shows weaker holdings than if you acted immediately over the opening bid. Consider this deal.
In the immediate seat, an overcall of one no trump shows the equivalent to an opening no-trump bid -- some 15-18 points. In the pass-out seat, it promises only 11-14.
North might have cue-bid diamonds to probe for a heart fit but elected, instead, to make an invitational no-trump raise. With a maximum, South wasted no time in accepting.
West's low spade opening lead was covered by the jack and queen and taken with the ace. Declarer's queen of hearts was taken by West's ace, and the defender switched to the king of clubs, which was allowed to hold as East followed with the two. West reverted to a spade and declarer captured the nine with the king and continued the suit, West winning with the ten and put declarer back on lead with a spade to the eight as two of dummy's clubs were discarded.
The queen of diamonds lost to the ace, East following with the three, and the diamond return was taken in dummy with ten. By now, the bidding and play had given declarer a pretty good idea of West's hand: the defender had four spades, four or five diamonds and three clubs, hence could hold no more than two hearts.
Backing his judgment, declarer called for a low heart from dummy and boldly finessed the eight! When that held, declarer cashed the jack, crossed to dummy with the king of diamonds and cashed the king of hearts for nine tricks.
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
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