Use information from the opponents

The textbooks contain salutary snippets of advice that experts usually take to heart. But occasionally they slip up — as East did in today's deal. Then it is really embarrassing!

The winner of the 2019 bestplayed deal award from the International Bridge Press Association was Michael Whibley from New Zealand. He came close to a repeat with this performance, when given some help by East.

How did Whibley plan the play in four spades doubled after West led the diamond two, low from an odd number?

What could East have to justify his penalty double other than all five trumps? Whibley played on that assumption. He won with his diamond queen and cashed his other three minor-suit winners. After a heart to the ace, South took the diamond ace and king, discarding a club from his hand. With East marked with 5=2=4=2 distribution, declarer ruffed a heart in his hand, giving him the first eight tricks. He exited with a club, which East was forced to ruff. Then, whatever East did, South would collect two more trump tricks perforce.

Note that even if East had had 5=1=4=3 distribution, Whibley would have made his contract in identical fashion.

Was East a beginner? Far from it. He was a world team champion in 2017 and is a four-time European team champion. A good declarer will usually play one trick better when warned about a bad trump break. So, East should double only if confident of down two, which he could not be here, his partner having made only a preemptive bid.