Bridge

SOUTH WOULD appear to have no problems in bringing home his heart game due to the fortunate lie of the trump suit. However, a judicious false card from West gave the impression that the hearts were not breaking 2-2.

Playing five-card majors, South opened One Heart, and after a single raise from partner plunged directly to game.

On lead against Four Hearts, West cashed 4A and 4K, then switched to 2J, and the club continuation was ruffed by South.

Declarer crossed to dummy with #K, then played a trump to the queen, which held, East contributing the two and West the jack.

It looked to South as if East had started with !K 7 2, therefore he needed a further entry to dummy in order to finesse again. The only possible route was via a diamond ruff, and for this to be successful East needed to have started with at least three diamonds. Declarer cashed his diamond ace, but when he ruffed the next he was over-ruffed by East's king.

If West had not played the jack on the first round of trumps, declarer would have had little option but to play the ace next, felling East's king.

Creating opportunities for declarers to go wrong is the hallmark of a good defender. Although diamonds had not been mentioned in the bidding, West knew that South held five, both from the bidding and the play to the first few tricks. He could see that dummy was otherwise entryless, and from his own holding knew that his partner could over-ruff the third round.