Dealer: North
Vulnerable: None

                              S: A 9 8
                              H: A 10 9 7 4 
                              D: Q J 2  
                              C: 6 3  

            S: K Q              N          S: J 10 7 6 4
            H: K Q 2         W     E       H:      
            D: K 7 6 5 4 3      S          D: A 10 9  
            C: J 10                        C: Q 9 8 4 2
                          
                              S: 5 3 2
                              H: J 8 6 5 3
                              D: 8  
                              C: A K 7 5

                 EAST    SOUTH    WEST    NORTH
                                           PASS
                 PASS     1H       2D       4H 
                 PASS    PASS     PASS

     South's 1 heart opener is just another example of the
aggressiveness of tournament bridge players.  This hand is from
the Stratified Open Pairs at the Summer North American Bridge
Championships that were held last month in Toronto, Ontario.  In
south's defense, he has a 5 card suit, 2 quick tricks, a
singleton, and he is non-vulnerable.  All in all I think that the
majority of duplicate players would support his decision.  West
made a solid overcall of 2 diamonds and north jumped into the
heart game.  North might have been well advised to bid only 3
hearts, which south would pass, but then there wouldn't be a
story to tell.  The opening lead was the king of spades covered
by the ace from dummy while east and south played low.  A club
was led to the ace and declarer played the jack of hearts which
was covered by the queen and ace with east playing a low club.  A
low heart was led and west won the king, cashed the queen of
spades and continued with the jack of clubs.  Declarer won the
king of clubs, pulled the last trump, and led the 8 of diamonds
toward the dummy.  West played the king, which held, and was left
with nothing but diamonds to lead.  The 3 was covered by the
queen and ace and then ruffed by declarer.  A club was trumped in
dummy and the jack of diamonds was the resting place for
declarer's last spade.  In all, declarer lost a spade, a heart,
and a diamond.  The defenders were trying to figure out how to
beat the hand - and East asked what he could have done.  The
answer was the same as it is on most hands, the defender must
count from the beginning so as to determine the distribution in
the 2 hidden hands.  What does east know at the point in time
when west played the king of diamonds?  West is known to have 2
clubs and 3 hearts and 2 spades.  West is also known to have made
a diamond overcall without the queen, jack, or ace of diamonds. 
West could have another Spade, but if that were so it would
probably have been played instead of a club after the queen of
spades was cashed.  West could have another club, but then
declarer would have opened his 8 count with a small doubleton
diamond and three small spades - this is unlikely.  The most
probable distribution is as shown in the diagram above.  West has
a 6 card diamond suit headed by the king and declarer has a
singleton.  East must overtake the king of diamonds with the ace
and cash the jack of spades for down one.  Declarer has a
tremendous advantage because he can fully evaluate the combined
assets and play accordingly.  The defense can compensate for this
advantage by careful counting and play.