Paying attention will pay off.
Bridge Column for August 20, 2000, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
North-South vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: A J 7 4          
                              H: Q 4 2       
                              D: 10 3        
                              C: J 10 9 5 
            WEST                             EAST
            S: 9 5                           S: Q 10 8 2   
            H: A K 9 8 6 3                   H: 5          
            D: J 8 6                         D: Q 9 7 4           
            C: 7 4                           C: A Q 8 2     
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: K 6 3 
                              H: J 10 7     
                              D: A K 5 2   
                              C: K 6 3    
          The Bidding://
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   1D       2H    Double*   Pass
                   2S      Pass     Pass    Pass
          *Negative Double
     Frank Aquila of Fairlawn sat West.  His partner, in the East
seat, was Marty Baff of Beachwood.  Aquila's two heart bid was a
"preemptive single jump overcall" showing a weak hand with a
decent, six card heart suit.  North, Helene Bradlin of Beachwood,
made a negative double, showing at least seven or eight points
and tolerance for the unbid suits.
     South, Dick Burgess of Chesterland, with a balanced 14 count
and no heart stopper, made the cheapest bid he could make, and
two spades ended the auction.  
     Aquila led the ace of hearts, which held the first trick. 
It was not clear to Aquila which line of defense to take, and he
decided to switch to the seven of clubs.  Baff won the ace and
returned the two of clubs.  Burgess made a very good decision to
play low and the trick rode around to the ten of clubs in dummy. 
     Burgess led a spade to the king and another spade back to
the ace.  He made the assumption, correctly, that West had
started with only two spades, and he led a club to the king. 
West showed out and his failure to trump placed the remaining
spades with East.  Declarer cashed the ace and king of diamonds
and then led a small diamond which he trumped in dummy.  
     The nine of clubs was covered by East and trumped with
declarer's last spade.  Another small diamond was trumped with
the last spade in dummy while East followed suit.  The last two
tricks went to the defense.
     Burgess played skillfully and used all of the available
information.  His reward was an excellent match point result.    
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