Choosing the Correct Line
By Mike Lawrence

It might seem at a quick glance that declarer has to lose two diamonds. Curiously, declarer was able to make six spades while losing NO diamonds.

The bidding featured a splinter bid by North which evolved into a Blackwood sequence.

South's first thought after winning the opening lead was to crossruff the clubs and hearts, draw trump, and then try to guess the diamonds. This is a fair plan, but it is hardly perfect. If West has both diamond honors, you go down and if the honors are divided, you will have to guess which diamond honors East and West have. I can tell you that East is a good enough defender that he won't automatically take his king of diamonds. You have a real guess.

Assuming there is a better plan than trying to guess diamonds, what is it?