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Your support makes all the difference.It Looked very much as though South had five losers in Four Spades doubled in this deal but, such was the volume of East's double, that declarer played for a 5-0 trump break from the outset. Very sensibly, he set out to collect 10 tricks rather than worrying about his losers.
West opened Four Hearts and North, clearly too good to take no action, doubled. Strictly speaking, this was for take-out and suggested space support, so North was slightly apprehensive when his partner bid Four Spades and East closed the auction with a resounding double.
West led the king of hearts and, after winning on the table, declarer led a second heart to give East a problem. In practise he discarded a diamond and South scored with a low trump. Next came the ace and king of diamonds and another heart. This time East decided to ruff, and South's losing diamond went away. Declarer won the trump return in hand and crossed to the ace of clubs, following with the last heart. Again East ruffed and now one of South's losing clubs went away.
Declarer won the next trump lead and, having read the position well, got off lead with a trump. Now East, on lead, had to concede two club tricks to dummy. Was there a defence after the initial heart lead? I will leave you to cover as many scraps of paper with diagrams as I have, but I don't think so.
NORTH-SOUTH GAME: dealer West
North
] 6 5 4
_ A 7 6 2
+ A K 4
[ A K J
West East
] None ] Q J 10 9 8
_ K Q J 9 8 5 3 _ 10
+ J 10 7 6 + Q 9 2
[ 6 3 [ Q 10 9 7
South
] A K 7 3 2
_ 4
+ 8 5 3
[ 8 5 4 2
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