These Easts were even more cautious

In yesterday's column, we looked at a deal in which I felt South, with seven spades to the A-K-Q-10-9 and apparently eight winners, was cautious in not taking a shot at four spades. But he was right because that contract could have gone down three doubled for minus 800.

Today's deal is similar except that

East has nine guaranteed winners.

He needs only one small contribution from partner to be cold for game. I can understand the onespade opening because if East bids four spades immediately, he might miss a slam. Even so, after South overcalls two diamonds and North raises to three diamonds, why not jump to four spades? Only one player out of 16 at Bridge Base Online did that, and he got a cold top!

How should four diamonds fare?

Assuming West unimaginatively leads the spade three, low from length in partner's unsupported suit, the defenders will get one spade and two hearts.

Robots, though, rarely lead partner's suit. One selected a club. This allowed declarer to draw trumps and run the clubs, discarding her spade loser. But she still seemed destined to lose three heart tricks, assuming East either covered the queen with the ace or played low if declarer led a low heart from the board. However, East strangely pitched a heart, so declarer, playing for split honors, led a low heart from the board. West took South's jack with the king and returned a spade, but South ruffed and played a low heart from her hand and the eight from the board, bringing down the ace.

Plus 130 was worth 66.7%.