bridge

East showed count by playing the club deuce as West cashed another club and followed with the ace of diamonds, N-S +420.

East's attitude was known and, therefore, the deuce showed three clubs or a possible singleton.

West knew that partner could not own more than 3 HCP and judged to cash the ace of diamonds. This was unlikely to cost because South would be able to discard a diamond from the table if he held all four top hearts but both diamonds if he owned a five-card heart suit. The game would be defeated if East's only honor was the king of diamonds.

South was offered a choice between 3NT and four spades but wisely chose the major suit contract because he owned a useless doubleton club. 3NT could produce eleven tricks when West begins with a fourth best club and South elects to put up dummy's queen. However, the sad truth is that declarer would play the three from the dummy. East wins the jack to play another where the defense would score five club winners and the ace of diamonds to earn a two-trick set.