Bridge Column for June 19, 1994 
Neither side vulnerable.  East deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: 8 7 3            
                              H: A Q 8 7 6 4 
                              D: J 8 4       
                              C: 10      
            WEST                             EAST
            S: A 10 5                        S: K Q J 4      
            H: K 10 3 2                      H: J 9 5      
            D: 7 6                           D: 10 9 2            
            C: 6 5 3 2                       C: 9 8 4       
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: 9 6 2
                              H: V O I D     
                              D: A K Q 5 3
                              C: A K Q J 7
                  EAST   SOUTH    WEST    NORTH                   
                  Pass    1D      Pass     1H    
                  Pass    3C      Pass     3H      
                  Pass    4C      Pass     4D      
                  Pass    5D   (All Pass)
     This hand came up at a local duplicate game and and caused a
great deal of discussion.  
     South has a three loser hand.  Many players would like to
open a strong two bid with this hand, but there are just too many
obstacles to be overcome when the opener has two suits of fairly
equal strength.  Normal practice in standard bidding is to open
one diamond and then jump shift in clubs.  Pairs using "big club"
methods will tell you that they have no problem because they will
open this hand with a bid of one club showing a hand with 16 or
more high card points.  The fact is that they will still have a
problem later in the auction.
     West, on opening lead against five diamonds, decided that
the unbid suit was the best chance for the defense.  Since it is
very dangerous to underlead an ace against a suit contract, he
led the ace.  When that held, a second spade was led to partner
who then cashed a third spade for down one.
     Could anything have been done to avoid a minus score on this
hand?  Well, if the distribution of the spade suit was known it
would be easy for North-South to simply stop in three no trump. 
Nine tricks are available after a spade lead, and any other lead
will allow declarer to score eleven tricks.  This is a very
difficult contract to reach when neither partner has a spade
stopper.  
     South could have made a better bid at his third chance to
call.  Having bid one diamond and then three clubs, South could
bid three spades.  First, it is forcing.  Second, it denies
support for hearts.  Third, it may be lead inhibiting (without a
spade lead, South can score twelve tricks in a diamond contract). 
Fourth, if North has as little as the king and one spade he will
probably bid three no trump.  
     North, unfortunately, has three small spades and will not
want to bid no trump.  He will bid four diamonds, which South
should pass.  It may be argued that South should pass four
diamonds in the auction shown, and that reasoning does have
merit.  It would be easier for South to pass four diamonds after
having made a forcing three spade call.
     Too tricky?  Not at all.  What is the worst that could
happen?  North will raise to four spades (unlikely).  If this
happens, South can correct to five clubs and North can then bid
five diamonds, if diamonds are longer than clubs.  In this event,
the player on opening lead may decide to lead something other
than a spade.