Dlr W
Vul N-S
| ♠ A Q J 8 3 2 | ||
| ♥ K J 10 8 7 3 | ||
| ♦ K | ||
| ♣ | ||
| ♠ 10 6 | ♠ K 5 4 | |
| ♥ Q 9 2 | ♥ A 6 | |
| ♦ A 9 8 7 6 | ♦ Q J | |
| ♣ 10 7 2 | ♣ 9 8 6 5 4 3 | |
| ♠ 9 7 | ||
| ♥ 5 4 | ||
| ♦ 10 5 4 3 2 | ||
| ♣ A K Q J |
West | North | East | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | 1♠ | Pass | 1NT |
| Pass | 3♥ | Pass | 3♠ |
| Pass | 4♥ | All Pass |
The opponents played some kind of strong club method where 3♥ promised 11 major suit cards but could have been 5-6, so South preferred what turned out to be the inferior strain.
Andy led the ♦Q, I won the Ace and played another. Declarer ruffed and tried the spade jack, but Andy won the ♠K and played another. Now declarer couldn't avoid losing 2 trumps and a spade overruff for down 2, -200. That was worth 16/17 to us.
[Andy]
Most pairs will probably naturally end up in spades, and there declarer won't have much choice but to drive trumps first to go down one. I guess our declarer got what he deserved for playing for a defensive error.
Franco could have forced down 2 by playing a spade himself at trick 2. That play might be possible to find, but it could turn out badly if declarer was 5=6=2=0 with ♦KJ.
There are layouts where straightforward play does even better than down 1 because the defense can't avoid helping you...say west had Kx Axx Axxxx xxx, then when you exit the HK the defense eventually has to give the spade finesse for the contract.
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