GOREN BRIDGE

There is an advantage to declaring a game contract after an opponent has opened the bidding. You have what the politicians and the generals call "good intelligence". You know where almost all of the missing high cards are located.

South in today's deal was expert Migry Campanile. She is originally from Israel but has lived in the New York City area for many years. She captured East's king of diamonds at trick one with her ace and led a club to dummy's queen. She was certain that East held the ace of hearts, so she led a low heart to her king as East played low. She cashed two high clubs, East discarding a diamond, and led a heart to dummy's jack and East's ace. East continued with the jack of diamonds to Campanile's queen.

She led a club to dummy's jack as East shed the eight of spades. East was known to hold the king of spades and the rest of the distribution was easy to work out. Campanile exited with a diamond to East's 10. East cashed two more diamonds, but then had to lead a spade away from the king and Campanile had her ninth trick.

Very nicely played!