Results Merchant

11th June–Board 21. North/south Game. Dealer North.

Five level decisions are the most difficult to get right so it is perhaps not surprising that no pair attained par on the hand shown below.

	North: S A J 10 9 8 2 H K 10 4 D Q 7 2 C 5
West: S 4 3 H 9 8 2 D 10 9 5 4 C A J 6 4		East: S none H Q 7 5 D A K 8 6 C Q 10 9 7 3 2
	South: S K Q 7 6 5 H A J 6 3 D J 3 C K 8

West	North	East	South
	1S	2C	4S
5C	No	No	Dbl
End

That 4S bid causes me some anxiety because partner will not be expecting as much but with a probable club loser and with any putative diamond finesse likely to be wrong it is perhaps wise to be cautious. At the prevailing vulnerability West is almost bound to sacrifice and maybe I am just being a results merchant when I suggest that South should double and not bid one for the road. In fact even 4S is in danger for declarer has to find the queen of hearts to make even ten tricks although I notice that one North/South pair did arrive at eleven tricks in some miraculous way.