Bridge

Players embrace varying bidding styles; knowing your partner’s tendencies is more important that what system you use.

Today’s North-South weren’t in the same book, much less on the same page. South overcalled one spade, vulnerable, with a ragged suit and skinny high-card values. North clearly expected more.

South was at risk at three spades, but East-West went wrong. East took the KA of hearts and led the jack. If South had ruffed low or high, he would have lost two trumps and a diamond — down one — but South pitched his king of diamonds.

South ruffed the diamond return and led the king of trumps. When West played low, South led a club to dummy’s jack and took the A-K. He ruffed a diamond, ruffed his ten of clubs in dummy and lost only a trump to the ace.

East beats three spades by taking his ace of diamonds at Trick Three, then leading a heart. As for the bidding, North-South need to discuss some issues of style, such as what values an overcall promises.