A negative inference made life harder BRIDGE

On the second round of the auction, if opener may either rebid two of partner’s major or double, the raise guarantees four-card support and a minimum opening. Instead, a support double shows three trumps in responder’s suit with any hand strength. There isn’t one in this deal, but its absence had an influence on the defense.

The board occurred when Argentina faced USA1 at the 2005 Bermuda Bowl world team championship in Portugal.

In the auction, Jeff Meckstroth (North) cue-bid two clubs with his surprisingly strong hand. Then, when Eric Rodwell (South) showed his second suit, North jumped to game.

Sitting West was 18-year-old Agustin Madala. If he had led his singleton, he would have beaten the contract easily. Madala would have won the first round of trumps with his king, put his partner, Pablo Lombardi, on lead with a spade and received a diamond ruff. The heart ace would have been the fourth defensive trick.

But leading declarer’s first-bid suit is rarely good, and East’s pass over North’s two-club cue-bid had denied as many as three spades. So West, hoping to give his partner a ruff there, led a low spade, East winning with the ace and returning the 10. Declarer rose with his spade king, played a diamond to dummy and discarded his spade jack on the club ace. South ruffed a club in his hand and led a low heart, but the Argentines made no mistake. West went in with his heart king and led another spade. East ruffed with the heart ace and played back a diamond for his partner to ruff.