Games: Bridge

East-West game; dealer East

North

4A J 5 4

!K 10 9 5

#A 7 5

25 3

West East

4Q 10 3 4K 8 6

!7 4 !2

#K J 9 #Q 4 3

2Q 10 8 6 2 2A K J 9 7 4

South

49 7 2

!A Q J 8 6 3

#10 8 6 2

2none

"Couldn't you have dealt yourself the seven of spades instead of the six?" West demanded of his partner after this deal. "Then we defeat Four Hearts!" This was true as the play went, but even the two of spades would have been enough if West had found the right defence.

East opened One Club, South pre-empted with Three Hearts and, although West contested with Four Clubs, North's raise to game was passed out.

West led the six of clubs against Four Hearts and, after ruffing, declarer drew trumps in two rounds and ruffed dummy's last club. Then he exited with the ace and another diamond.

West won with the jack and cashed his king. Now it was time to tackle spades, for another club would concede a ruff and discard and, after some thought, he switched to the 10 of spades. This went to the jack and king, and East returned 46, but South guessed right when he played the seven, which forced West's queen.

If East had indeed held 4K,8,7, West's play would have been good enough, but the right card to lead was the queen. Whether declarer wins or ducks, he is now bound to lose two spade tricks.