North-South vulnerable. South deals.

North-South vulnerable. South deals.

NORTH

x9 8 2

uA 7 6 4 3

v5 3

w9 7 4

WEST EAST

x5 4 x6

uK Q J 10 9 8 5 uVoid

vK J 10 vQ 8 7 6 4 2

w8 wJ 10 6 5 3 2

SOUTH

xA K Q J 10 7 3

u2

vA 9

wA K Q

The bidding:

SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST

2w 4u Dbl Pass

6x Pass Pass Pass

Opening lead: King of u

South, declarer at six spades, played too fast on the first trick and compressed the 12 tricks he had starting out into 11.

South’s opening bid was an artificial game force and West seized the opportunity to throw a spanner into the works by pre-empting with four hearts. Looking at 11 tricks in hand, South was understandably reluctant to defend, but he was afraid that a bid of five hearts might be misunderstood, so he gambled on the small slam.

West led the king of hearts and, delighted with the fact that dummy’s ace of hearts was his 12th trick, declarer lost no time in playing it. East ruffed and there was no way declarer could avoid losing a diamond trick — down one.

West surely had a seven-card suit for his four-level pre-empt, so it was dollars to doughnuts that East was void in hearts and would ruff away the ace. A moment’s thought would have shown the way to success.

South should have withheld the ace of hearts at trick one and allowed West to win the first trick. No matter what West does, South can win the second trick and get to the table with the third round of trumps to discard his diamond loser on the ace of hearts. Six spades bid and made with 150 honors.

2008 Tribune Media Services