This deal occurred in a high-level team-of-four match. West’s three spade bid at the first table asked his partner to bid three notrump if he had a spade stopper.

East was more than happy to comply; he had much more than he needed for his three-notrump bid. When South next bid four hearts -- which was corrected to four spades by North -- East doubled.

Perhaps West should not have passed -- many players would have bid five diamonds instead -- but he did pass. West then led the king of diamonds followed by the ace, on which East discarded the ten of clubs and South the queen of clubs!

As a result of this play to the second trick, declarer made four spades doubled. He ruffed the next diamond, cashed the ace of hearts, ruffed a heart, ruffed a club, ruffed another heart, ruffed another club, then ruffed the fourth round of hearts with the dummy’s last trump.

Nine tricks had been played, and East’s last four cards were the Q-J-8-4 of trump, while South’s remaining cards were the A-K-10 of trump and ten of hearts. Declarer now led a club from dummy, ruffed by East with the jack and overruffed by South with the king. Declarer then played the ten of hearts, forcing East to ruff and return a trump from the Q-8 to South’s A-10, and the doubled game -- worth 790 points -- was home.

At the second table, West leapt to five diamonds over the one-spade opening. After two passes, South ventured five hearts -- a dubious tactic, especially considering the vulnerability. North retreated to five spades, doubled by East, and South finished down three after he failed to discard the club queen on West’s diamond lead at trick two.

Plus 800 at this table, combined with the 790 scored by their teammates at the other table, gave the successful team a gain of 1590 points on the deal.

Tomorrow >> Famous Hand.

— Steve Becker