This week, our focus will be on the trials held to select the two USA teams for the 2025 d’Orsi Senior Bowl. Play along with Ron Gerard of the Wildavsky team as South.
When partner competes to the three-level, presumably based on a five-card suit, you take a shot at game with your prime cards and lack of wastage in diamonds.
You receive a club lead to the jack and your ace. Then you surrender a diamond at trick two, West winning with the ace before continuing with a club to East’s king. Back comes a spade to your ace. Play on.
West has shown the minors but has failed to lead a spade, which he might have done with a singleton in that suit. So, if anyone has shortage in hearts, it will be West, in which case you will need him to have the bare 10 specifically.
Ruff a diamond to dummy and run the heart jack when East follows small. If West wins with an honor, you will need trumps to be 2-2. (If West had been dealt a singleton king or queen, advancing the jack to fish for a cover was also your best bet.)
Gerard duly brought home his game. Incidentally, a spade shift at trick three, while the club communications were still open, might have made him less inclined to do this. Running the heart jack might have seen West cross to his partner for a spade ruff.
West did lead a spade against the same contract in the other room, after which declarer sensibly laid down the heart ace and another heart. The defenders then accurately set up their club trick before releasing control of trumps, and the contract sank like a stone.