ACESONBRIDGE

Today’s hand exhibits the idea that a penalty double of a game contract based on trump strength alone is a doubleedged sword.

When the opponents reached four spades, East doubled for blood. But as soon as West’s diamond-king lead hit the baize, declarer knew the whole hand. With nothing of note in the side suits, East must surely hold the five outstanding trumps. Since drawing trumps would fail, declarer sought to reduce his trumps to try to reach a position where East could be put on lead with a spade honor and had only trumps left. If so, he would have to exit with another honor, promoting a trick for South.

A diamond was trumped at trick two, followed by the club ace-king and another diamond ruff. Declarer then took two rounds of hearts and ruffed a third low in dummy. Assuming East had a third card in either hearts or clubs — a requirement for success — this play allowed for everything. If East could overruff and return a club, declarer would win on the table and lead a minor-suit card. East would be forced to ruff high and return a high trump, and eventually concede a trump trick to South’s nine. When East in fact followed to the third heart, declarer had reached a five-card ending with the lead in dummy. East was down to his five trumps, while South held three spades and two hearts.

East ruffed North’s club lead high and returned the spade queen; declarer simply won with the ace and played a minor-suit card to score his spade nine en passant.