BRIDGE

AS demonstrated by his skillful play of this slightly over bid contract, South was a confirmed devotee of one of my favourite declarer-play ploys: the adept exploitation of the spot cards.

North's artificial response showed at least a game invitational spade raise that South accepted. Once the opponents attempted to sacrifice in five clubs, North judged that his club void was just what was needed for a push to the five-level.

South won the opening lead of the King of diamonds to continue by mopping up the outstanding trumps and exiting with the Jack of diamonds that West captured.

Interesting speculation: how would the play have gone if West had let South win the trick with the Jack of diamonds?

Meanwhile, West fired back the heart King after winning his diamond. Heart ace followed by the ten of diamonds for a heart discard from the closed hand and then the seven of diamonds (club discard from South) to give West his second diamond trick but set up dummy's six in the process.

That meant six spade tricks in the closed hand, the two red aces, one club ruff in dummy and two more very necessary tricks via the diamond intermediates that South had turned into tricks.

More idle speculation: would North have bid the same way if his seven and six of diamonds had been exchanged with West's five and three?

West added more speculative thinking when his post deal comment was “I wonder how the play would go if I had led the ten of clubs?”. HMM!