BRIDGE

Both vulnerable, North deals

North-South was a European pair using a one-club opening to show several different hand types. 18 or more balanced was just one of them, and North’s rebid clarified his hand. These methods seem strange to North American players, but they have proven effective on the world stage.

The opening diamond lead went to the king and ace, and East shifted to his singleton heart. South ducked this to West’s king and West continued with a trump to South’s eight. A low diamond to the 10 and jack would have made it easy for declarer, but West alertly ruffed the diamond and led another trump. South flailed away for a while, but he had to play it well from this point to escape for down one.

There is a winning line of play for South. Can you spot it? South could rise with his ace of hearts at trick two and play for a cross-ruff. King of spades, club to the ace, ace of spades discarding a diamond, and a spade ruff. Club to the king, spade ruff, club ruff, and another spade ruff. That would be nine tricks in the bag and the queen-jack of trumps still in the dummy would have to produce another.

Declarer did not play the hand badly, and it is not clear that the winning line is superior. What do you think?