Both vulnerable. South deals.

Both vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x7 2

uJ 6

vK Q 10 5 4 3

wK 10 9

WEST EAST

xK J 6 3 xQ 9 5 4

u7 5 4 2 uK Q 10 9

v9 6 vA 7

w8 4 3 w6 5 2

SOUTH

xA 10 8

uA 8 3

vJ 8 2

wA Q J 7

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 3NT Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Three of x

Usually, when declaring a no-trump contract, if you have only one stopper in the suit the enemy has attacked it is technically correct to hold it up as long as possible. But there is a time for everything under the sun.

After South’s one-no-trump opening bid, there is no reason North should even suspect that his semi-balanced 9-point hand is more likely to produce 11 tricks in the minor rather than nine at no trump.

Though five diamonds can be made safely here, there is no reason for North not to respond as he did.

West led his fourth-best spade and East followed with the queen, declarer holding off winning the trick.

East could see that a spade continuation would yield only three spade tricks and the ace of diamonds, so he shifted to the king of hearts. In the fullness of time declarer lost one spade, three hearts and the ace of diamonds -- down one.

Since declarer can see the two of spades in dummy, he can reasonably assume that West is leading from a four-card suit.

Therefore, there is no need to hold up the ace. Declarer should win with the ace at trick one and force out the ace of diamonds, and he cannot be prevented from scoring nine tricks.

2008 Tribune Media Services