Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.
NORTH
K Q
5
A K 7 6 4 3
K Q 10 5
WEST EAST
8 6 J 7 5
K Q J 10 8 2 A 9 6 3
J 2 Q 10 9 8
9 8 3 J 7
SOUTH
A 10 9 4 3 2
7 4
5
A 6 4 2
The bidding:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
Pass 2 Dbl 3
3 4 5 Pass
5 Pass 6 Pass
Pass Pass
Opening lead: King of
Don't rely on partner to find the correct defense, obvious as it might seem, when you know what must be done. Accidents happen, so take charge and avoid it.
The auction was wild and woolly after West opened with a weak two-bid in hearts. The final contract was only a whisker away from perfect -- give South the jack of spades instead of the 10, and 12 tricks are easy.
West led the king of hearts and East elected to signal for a heart continuation by following with the nine. West thought his partner, for some reason best known only to West, was giving count and elected to hope East held the ace of clubs. Declarer won the club in dummy, cashed the king and queen of spades, came to hand with the ace of clubs to draw the last trump and claim the rest of the tricks.
If East held the ace of clubs, he would surely have played his lowest heart at trick one. Still, East must bear the brunt of the blame for failing to defeat the slam. East can see that a second heart will promote his jack of spades, so he should overtake the king of hearts with the ace and return a heart. That forces dummy to ruff and the jack of spades is promoted to the setting trick.
& copy; 2007 Tribune Media Services
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