North-South vulnerable. South deals. NORTH S: K Q 4 2 H: 7 6 D: 4 3 C: A J 9 3 2 WEST EAST S: 3 S: J 10 8 7 H: K Q 9 2 H: A J 4 3 D: Q 8 7 6 5 D: J 9 C: 8 7 4 C: Q 6 5 SOUTH S: A 9 6 5 H: 10 8 5 D: A K 10 2 C: K 10 The Bidding: SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1D Pass 2C Pass 2S Pass 4S Pass Pass Pass Opening Lead: KH The competition is rubber bridge and I would recommend a different bidding sequence for this hand. After South opens one diamond I am in favor of a one spade response by North. South should raise this to two spades and North should now make a game try by bidding three clubs. South's club holding is attractive and he should accept the game try by bidding four spades. This is superior to the auction shown because there are many hands that South could hold where North's unilateral jump to game would be wrong. The opening lead is the king of hearts which holds the first trick. A heart to the ace wins the second trick and East shifts to the jack of diamonds. Obviously, if trumps divide three-two ten tricks will be easy. Care must be taken to deal with trump situations that are not so friendly. South wins the ace of diamonds and plays a spade to the king and another spade back to the ace. West discards a small diamond on the second round of spades, revealing the four-one split. The king of clubs is led. Everyone follows low. The ten of clubs is led to the ace. Both defenders follow suit. A small club is ruffed. Both defenders follow, establishing the remaining clubs in dummy as winners. A heart is led and ruffed small in dummy bringing the hand down to this four card ending. NORTH S: Q H: Void D: 3 C: J 9 WEST EAST S: Void S: J 10 H: Q H: J D: Q 8 7 D: 9 C: Void C: Void SOUTH S: 9 H: Void D: K 10 2 C: Void The lead is in dummy and even though East has more trumps than either North or South, he will be able to take only one trick. The jack of clubs is led and a diamond is pitched from the South hand regardless of what East plays. If East pitches, North leads another club and South discards his last diamond no matter what East plays. If East ruffs, South can handle any return. This play is a variation of a loser on loser play. Declarer continues to lead side suit winners until East ruffs in, reducing East's trumps to a manageable number. Note that no other play works from this position. ___________________________________________________________________