Like every other player, I have opinions about bidding. One of my favorites, which I cherish against almost universal opposition, is that players bid too often with weak hands and disclose information declarer puts to use.
Today’s deal, from the ACBL Summer Championships, was reported by Barry Rigal. North’s two-spade raise was (apparently) “constructive.” East’s 2NT showed a two-suited hand. North’s jump to four hearts promised a singleton.
Against four spades, West led the 10 of diamonds, a sure singleton. Declarer placed West with the king of trumps: East had the K-Q-J of diamonds and surely a heart honor but hadn’t acted at his first turn. But declarer feared a 3-0 trump break.
Preparing an end play, South took the ace of diamonds and led a heart to his jack. He won West’s club return with the king and let the queen of trumps ride.
When East discarded, declarer threw a club from dummy on the ace of hearts, cashed the ace of clubs, ruffed his last club in dummy, took the ace of trumps and exited with a trump. West had to yield a ruff-sluff, and South got rid of a diamond loser. As the cards lay, he could also have made the contract by ducking an early club trick to West.
Declarer played well, but East’s 2NT gave away the show. True, East-West had a fair sacrifice at five hearts (minus 300 points), but if East kept silent and West led the 10 of diamonds against four spades, would declarer find a winning line of play? Maybe, maybe not.