Goren on Bridge

North’s jump to four spades was strictly limited. North would have cue bid four clubs with a good hand. Despite this, South couldn’t bring himself to pass with such a lovely hand. He cue bid his club control and jumped to slam when partner showed a diamond control.

South won the opening club lead in hand perforce. The diamond suit was the obvious problem. West, who had pre-empted in the auction, was most unlikely to hold both the king and queen of diamonds. Declarer led a diamond to the ace at trick two. This was followed by the ace and king of hearts, discarding a club from dummy, and then a heart ruff. Declarer crossed back to his hand with a club ruff and then ruffed his last heart in dummy.

West had followed suit to all four rounds of hearts and was known to have at least six clubs from the auction. South cashed one high spade in dummy and exited with a low diamond. His silent prayers were answered when West won this trick with the king. Holding nothing but clubs, West was forced to lead one of them. South ruffed this in dummy while discarding his last diamond. Making six!

South showed good imagination in the play of this deal, but the defense could have prevailed. Can you spot how? West could have played his king of diamonds at trick two. Declarer would have had no answer. Would you have found that play?

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