IF YOU BID UP, YOU MUST PLAY UP

Yesterday, I featured a deal in which East, trying to get a good result, made a speculative double. Here's one where South made an even more speculative bid, but he had a sound reason. He was in the last round of a qualifying event for his country's national team, needing a big win to reach the final stage. Hence his shut-my-eyes-and-hope jump to six spades.

North's four-club rebid was a splinter, showing at least game values in spades (at most five losers) with a singleton or void in clubs.

West led the diamond eight. Although this had all the aura of a singleton, South decided that he couldn't handle a 5-1 diamond split. Also, maybe West was making a "clever" lead away from the king. So, South played low from the dummy. After winning with the king, East returned a diamond, South breathing a silent sigh of relief when West followed suit.

Assuming East had the diamond jack, South saw 12 tricks: five spade winners in hand, three diamond tricks, two club ruffs in the dummy and two hearts -- yes, that finesse would have to work too.

South ruffed a club in the dummy, cashed the spade ace and played a spade to his king, noting that West discarded a club. Another club ruff on the board was followed by the diamond ace, on which South threw a club, and the diamond 10, covered and ruffed. South drew East's last trump, played a heart to the queen and claimed when the finesse succeeded.

North-South moved on to the next stage, but their luck ran out as they didn't make the team.