TRY TO DRAW THE KEY INFERENCE

Y ou are watching a football match. The quarterback hurls a bomb into the end zone, but you don't see who catches the ball. However, a referee puts up both of his arms -- a touchdown. You have drawn an inference based on the available evidence. It is the same thing at the bridge table. You must use the information at your fingertips to decide who holds which cards.

North's three-heart response was a limit raise, showing about 11 points and at least four trumps. Despite the potentially worthless spade king, South had to move on to game.

With an unappealing lead, West chose the heart two. (It was recommended to lead low from a doubleton in the trump suit. Now, though, experts would choose the 10, a suit-preference signal for spades.) Declarer won with his nine, cashed the heart ace and led a low diamond, winning with dummy's queen. West took the next diamond lead and exited with his final diamond. Now declarer cashed the club ace and exited with a club to West's king.

West was endplayed. He had to lead a spade, allowing declarer to collect his 10th trick with the spade king.

West should have seen this coming. For his game raise, South had to have the spade king. If he had the club ace-jack as well, the contract was unbeatable. (Also, he would have taken the club finesse, not cashed the ace first.) So East was marked with the club jack. Under the club ace, West should have jettisoned the king. Then East would have taken a trick with his club jack, and a spade switch would have given the defenders four tricks.