From Microsoft to bridge base

Bill Gates, former CEO and chairman of Microsoft, has become a very keen bridge player. He was part of the Bridge Base Online team in the 2016 Yeh Online Bridge World Cup. This featured four teams playing a round robin of 16-board matches in three venues: Beijing, Turin and Seattle. In this deal, Gates (East) took a great view in the bidding, but did not find the winning defence. Against two diamonds, Sharon Osberg (West) led the heart queen.Gatesovertookwith his king, cashed the heart ace and continued with the heart jack.AfterWestdiscardeda discouraging spade four, what should East have done next? Gu Ling (North for the Chinese Contract Bridge Association) would have done best to overcall one no-trump. After losing five heart tricks, she could have taken the rest, aided by theclubfinesse.Whenshe made a takeout double, Gates didwellnottorebidtwoclubs. If he had, South would have passed,andWestprobably would have rebid two hearts. That contract would surely have gone down one. When East passed, Lin Rongqiang (South) advanced with two diamonds.Afterthreerounds of hearts, East shifted to the diamondthree.Declarertook West’s queen with dummy’s ace, played a spade to his king and ran the diamond nine. East tookhistwotrumptricksand exited with a heart, which squeezed West. When she discarded a spade, South had four spades, two diamonds and two clubs. The killing defence at trick four was East’s singleton spade. The curious may work it out — my word limit has been reached.