There has been no movement by the PD and I have not heard from the Sun papers. Harvey East-West vulnerable. South deals. North S: J 10 H: Q 10 9 3 2 D: 9 8 7 C: 8 6 5 West East S: Q 6 S: 9 8 7 2 H: K J 7 H: 8 5 4 D: K J 6 3 D: Q 10 4 C: J 9 4 3 C: A 7 2 South S: A K 5 4 3 H: A 6 D: A 5 2 C: K Q 10 The Bidding: South West North East 2NT Pass 3D Pass 3H Pass 4H Pass Pass Pass Opening lead: 3C Let's examine the bidding first. I would recommend opening this hand with a bid of one spade. The problem with two no trump is that you are very likely going to get transferred to hearts, your two card suit, and then you may find yourself with a five-three spade fit. That is not the case here, but if you open one spade, North will pass and you will make nine tricks for a very decent result. In fact, +140 was worth 9.5 matchpoints on a twelve top. I think that the bidding plan on this hand is to open one spade and then, if partner can bid, jump to show your strength. When this hand came up, South bid as shown and North felt that a raise to game was justified by his good intermediate cards. The opening lead was the three of clubs. East won the ace and returned a club to South's king. My recommendation for an opening lead would be the nine of clubs if that is the suit that you wanted to start. A small diamond would be my second choice, but a club is safer as long as partner knows that you really do not want the suit to be continued. A diamond switch at trick two sinks any chance for this contract. But that did not happen and you have to play the hand that you are dealt. You win the king of clubs and play the ace of hearts and another heart. West wins the king and continues with a club. This comes around to the queen. You now lead a small spade toward the dummy. West wins the queen and plays the jack of clubs. You trump with the nine of hearts, cash the queen of hearts watching as hearts fall. You cash the ten of spades and use the ace of diamonds to return to hand and cash three more spade tricks, pitching diamonds from the dummy. Four hearts, making, is a top score. West has two chances to shift to a diamond but it is much easier if East knows to make that shift at trick two. _______________________________________________________