Careful Declarer
By Mike Lawrence

One mark of an expert is that he sees problems before they become problems.

The auction was rather hectic which is usually the case when someone has a long suit and the vulnerability is favorable. South opened one spade and West jumped in with four hearts. North was under pressure and was obliged to bid four spades.

South could envision seven spades opposite the right ten count, but decided not to get involved in a difficult cue bidding sequence. His actual bid of six spades was a very fair compromise which rated to make much of the time.

South won the heart lead with dummy's ace and discarded his two of diamonds. The spade finesse won but when West showed out, South was faced with a sure trump loser. He led the queen of diamonds, hoping for West to cover, but West refused. South continued with the jack of diamonds but was now doomed to fail regardless of what happened. In fact, East ruffed the jack of diamonds and returned a club. Eventually, East took the setting trick with the king of spades.

Where did South go wrong, or was he just unlucky? Stop reading here and consider how South might have made six spades?