Galileo wrote, "All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."
That applies to bridge deals. If you discover the right question, you will understand the truth: what to bid or how to play.
South was in four spades. West led his fourth-highest heart. East took two tricks in the suit, then shifted to a diamond. How did declarer continue? What do you think of the auction?
South had a close decision over East's takeout double. With his 10 points, he could have redoubled. Maybe the vulnerable opponents had made a mistake entering the auction. This would have been true if North had four good hearts. But it was certainly reasonable for South to respond in his five-card major.
Although West had only a queen, his excellent distribution justified his two-heart bid.
After North supported spades, East's three-heart raise was aggressive but reasonable. South's four-spade bid fell into the same category.
With a club to concede, South had to avoid a trump loser. Normally, he would have played off the ace and king, hoping the queen would drop — eight ever, nine nearly never. But East's takeout double announced length — at least three cards — in the unbid suits. So, declarer won with his diamond king, played a spade to dummy's ace, then finessed his spade jack. When that held (he was confident it would), South drew East's last trump and claimed, conceding one club.
Always remember the bidding and draw conclusions from it.
That applies to bridge deals. If you discover the right question, you will understand the truth: what to bid or how to play.
South was in four spades. West led his fourth-highest heart. East took two tricks in the suit, then shifted to a diamond. How did declarer continue? What do you think of the auction?
South had a close decision over East's takeout double. With his 10 points, he could have redoubled. Maybe the vulnerable opponents had made a mistake entering the auction. This would have been true if North had four good hearts. But it was certainly reasonable for South to respond in his five-card major.
Although West had only a queen, his excellent distribution justified his two-heart bid.
After North supported spades, East's three-heart raise was aggressive but reasonable. South's four-spade bid fell into the same category.
With a club to concede, South had to avoid a trump loser. Normally, he would have played off the ace and king, hoping the queen would drop — eight ever, nine nearly never. But East's takeout double announced length — at least three cards — in the unbid suits. So, declarer won with his diamond king, played a spade to dummy's ace, then finessed his spade jack. When that held (he was confident it would), South drew East's last trump and claimed, conceding one club.
Always remember the bidding and draw conclusions from it.