At Your Own Risk



2nd May – Board 11: Love All. Dealer South.
It’s a fact of life that leading partner’s suit never receives criticism even if it goes wrong whereas going out on a limb can create wounds that are hard to heal…


North:
S 7
H A K Q 8 4
D K Q 2
C 10 9 8 3

West:
S A K
H 5 2
D J 7 6 4
C A K Q J 7

East:
S Q 8 4 2
H J 10 9 7 3
D A 3
C 6 2

South:
S J 10 9 6 5 3
H 6
D 10 9 8 5
C 5 4


  West
 North
  East
  South
     
   
    
    No
      1C
    1H
     Dbl
    No
      2H
    Dbl
    2NT
    No
     3NT
   End



East’s double merely shows a four card spade suit of course – he would bid 1S with five or more – and West’s 2H bid is looking for a heart stop for the no-trump game. North should emphasise the quality of his suit by doubling and the fate of the contract depends upon South’s lead. If, without thinking, he leads a top spade a delighted declarer will take his nine top tricks whereas a heart lead allows North to win and switch to the king of diamonds, which takes East’s only entry out prematurely. Of course the best lead is the D10 which takes away any worry North might have and sets him up five tricks from the start. As a postscript you may think that 3NT is too ambitious but give East the C10 instead of the C6 and he has another entry to hand and nine tricks on top.

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