Long two-suiters provide fireworks

In bridge, “a long two-suiter” refers to a hand with two five-card or longer suits. Recently, my wife and I have been involved in several deals featuring them.

In this example, what should South have done in four hearts after West led the spade nine?

Agreed, West was cautious in the bidding. Perhaps he had seen some notably weak hands for a favorable-vulnerability pre-empt by his partner. On this deal, though, five diamonds was cold. After a trump lead, declarer could have drawn trumps and established clubs, with the heart ace in the dummy. After a heart lead, declarer could have won with dummy’s ace, cashed the diamond king, then played a spade to establish his king and set up a ruff in the dummy.

North made a Michaels Cue-Bid to show at least 5-5 in the majors.

West thought he could see how to set the contract: spade lead, heart to the ace, diamond to the ace, spade ruff and a trick in the wash. However, dummy’s diamond void was a blow. Still, declarer had to be careful to win the first trick with dummy’s spade ace. Then he led the heart king. West took that trick and shifted to the club king, but South won with dummy’s ace, drew the missing trump and conceded a trick to East’s spade king. Now East should have led his last club, but he weirdly returned a spade, so the contract made with an overtrick, declarer discarding his last club on a long spade.

Strangely, over the 14 tables that played this deal, only one EastWest pair ended in diamonds. East’s three-diamond opening was passed out!