East-West vulnerable. South deals.

East-West vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x4

uQ 8 4 3

vA 7 6 4 2

wA Q 6

WEST EAST

xA 8 5 3 2 xK 10 7 6

uK 10 7 uJ 5

vVoid vK 10 9 5 3

wJ 10 7 5 4 w9 8

SOUTH

xQ J 9

uA 9 6 2

vQ J 8

wK 3 2

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

1NT Pass 2w Pass

2u Pass 4u Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Jack of w

South, declarer at four hearts in an Australia-Japan match at last year’s Far East Championship, chose a risky line at his heart game. Careful defense exacted a savage penalty.

South opened with a weak no trump and North bid a Stayman two clubs. Once the heart fit was located North proceeded directly to game.

Declarer won the opening club lead in hand, led a heart to the queen, which held, and tried a low diamond toward the queen. East won with the king and returned the ten of diamonds, a suit-preference signal for spades. West duly trumped and underled his ace of spades, East took the king and gave his partner a second diamond ruff — down one.

Since declarer surely needed trumps to break 3-2, the diamond play was unnecessarily dangerous — even a 4-1 diamond break would have sunk the game. Once the queen of trumps won, declarer should have played to lose one trick in each suit except clubs. At trick three declarer can lead a spade from dummy and play to ruff two spades on the table, using the ace of hearts as an entry. Declarer eventually loses a diamond trick but makes his contract.

2008 Tribune Media Services