♦A 8 4

♣9 8 4 3

WEST EAST

♠K 3 ♠J 9 6

♥K 10 7 ♥A Q J 8 4 2

♦K J 9 2 ♦5 3

♣K 7 5 2 ♣Q 10

SOUTH

♠A 10 8 7 2

♥9

♦Q 10 7 6

♣A J 6

The bidding:

EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH

2♥ 2♠ 3♥ 3♠

Pass Pass Dbl Pass

Pass Pass

Opening lead: Seven of ♥

You must seize your opportunities at the bridge table. Unlike the postman, they rarely ring twice!

Since the South hand was suitable for play in any one of the three unbid suits, a takeout double of East's weak two-bid might have been wiser than the two-spade overcall. However, two spades would be the popular bid for fear of losing the 5-3 spade fit. North made a somewhat frisky competitive raise to three spades and, since this deal is from a duplicate pairs event, West doubled in an attempt to extract the magic 200 penalty for one down doubled.

West led a heart to East's ace and the moment of truth had arrived early. In with the ace of hearts, a diamond shift would have assured a one-trick set, but East routinely continued with a heart. Declarer ruffed and led a low spade to the king. Declarer was forced with another heart.

The outstanding trumps were drawn, ending in dummy as West discarded a club. A low club was covered by the ten and jack and won with the king. West exited with a club and declarer captured East's queen with ace and then crossed to dummy with a club to discard a diamond on the last club. East was now down to two diamonds and a heart and the other hands each held three diamonds.

With seven tricks in the bank, declarer ended matters by leading a diamond and inserting the ten when East followed low. West won with the jack but his forced diamond return away from the king allowed declarer to score both diamond tricks and the contract. (11/05/09)

e-mail: gorenbridge@aol.com