Alder's NEA Bridge: Lots of choices, one certainty

This is the sort of deal in which the bidding could take several routes. However, there is no doubt about the right line of play by South in a diamond contract after West leads a club. What should declarer do? Secondarily, what do you think of the auction, given that North's double was Snapdragon, promising spade length and diamond tolerance, typically honor-doubleton?

North was too cautious. He had much better diamond support than partner was expecting, with two aces and a near-maximum pass. A jump to five diamonds would have been reasonable, and South probably would have boosted it to six. If North was thinking three no-trump because it was matchpoints, he might have cue-bid three hearts. South would have bid three no-trump, and they would have scored plus 660 — better than 620 in five diamonds, but not as good as 1370 for anyone who reached six diamonds and played it correctly. (At 16 Bridge Base Online tables, no one got to three no-trump or six diamonds!)

Given the winning heart finesse, South has 11 top tricks. To get a 12th, he must establish dummy's fifth spade as a winner. This requires ruffing three spades in hand and, therefore, four dummy entries. South should put his diamond deuce in his pocket — or give it to partner for safe keeping!

The play goes: club ace, spade to the ace, spade ruff, diamond to the queen, spade ruff high, diamond to the ace and spade ruff. Retrieving the diamond deuce, declarer overtakes it with dummy's three and discards a club on the spade six. Then the heart finesse sees 12 tricks home.