BRIDGE

West mistakenly continued with the king of diamonds that was ruffed in dummy as declarer discarded a club from hand.

A club ruff was followed by the queen of spades but North put up the ace felling the king when West followed with the three-spot. The last trump was extracted and twelve tricks were home with hearts breaking 3-2.

East was clearly not paying attention, thinking that declarer had run the queen of spades. He was probably exasperated because partner had played a second diamond, a ruff and a discard! The contract should have finished down one. South should have offered a negative double of the diamond overcall revealing length in both majors. However, with such a disparity in length, he had no desire to play in a potential 4-4 heart fit. The advance to five spades was a risky proposition, to be sure, but he did not want to defend five diamonds at this vulnerability. Admittedly, he was fortunate that both West and East had erred but…

With hearts breaking normally, a heart contract would also yield ten tricks. East would lose four tricks in a doubled five diamond sacrifice.

Author: Dave Willis - visit his website at www.insidebridge.ca Questions on bridge can be sent with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to The New Canadian Bridge c/o Torstar Syndication Services, One Yonge St., Toronto, M5E 1E6.