Making Lemonade.
Bridge Column for October 14, 2001, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  West deals.
                              North
                              S: A Q 3            
                              H: A 4         
                              D: A K 8 6 5 3 
                              C: 7 6     
            West                             East
            S: 7                             S: 10 9 6 5 2
            H: K Q 9 8 3                     H: 10 7       
            D: J 10 7                        D: Q 4 2             
            C: A K 10 3                      C: Q 5 2      
                              South                         
                              S: K J 8 4
                              H: J 6 5 2    
                              D: 9         
                              C: J 9 8 4  
          The Bidding:  
                   West   North     East   South                  
                    1H     Dbl      Pass    1S  
                    2C      2D      Pass    2S  
                   Pass     4S      Pass    Pass
                   Pass    
     Thanks to Gene Gordon of Pepper Pike for this hand from a
duplicate game.  Gordon held the South cards and wound up in the
unenviable position of having to play four spades.  The question
of whether or not North should make a take out double at his
first opportunity (as he did) or over call two diamonds is
probably a matter of style.  Instead of getting involved in that
question, Gordon remembered the old saying "When all you have is
lemons, make lemonade!"
     West led the king of clubs to get a look at the dummy.  East
followed with the five.  The king of hearts was led next and
declarer ducked in both hands.  East played the seven.  West held
the lead and played the ace of clubs.  East contributed the
two.  West took this as an encouraging sign and played a third
club.
     Gordon trumped with the three while East followed suit.  The
ace and king of diamonds were cashed, Gordon discarding a small
heart.  A diamond was trumped with the four of spades.  At this
point, Gordon was able to trump a heart and a club in the dummy
while trumping three more diamonds in hand.  West was forced to
helplessly undertrump.
     The defense won a heart trick and two club tricks and East
was never on lead.  Had West decided at some point during the
play to lead his singleton trump, the contract would have been
defeated.  Without the trump lead, Gordon was able to enjoy his
lemonade.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.