Today’s South landed at five hearts doubled after showing his clubs at the five level. West anticipated a fat penalty and led ... the king of spades.

South ruffed, took the ace of clubs, ruffed a club in dummy, came to his king of diamonds and ruffed a club with the jack of trumps. He led a trump to his king and West’s ace, ruffed the spade return and drew trumps. He had one trump left, so he could concede a club to West’s king and claim, making five.

DOWN ONE

South clearly had a shapely hand to bid so high with limited high-card strength, and West had tricks to protect in South’s second suit. If West leads the ace and then a low trump, he scores two club tricks for down one.

When your opponents are clearly bidding on distribution, not on high cards, consider a trump lead to prevent declarer from winning extra trump tricks.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ? A K J 9 ? A 9 6 ? 9 3 ? K Q 10 2. The dealer, at your right, opens one heart. West in today’s deal overcalled one spade with this hand. Do you agree with that call?

ANSWER: West had to act with his 17 good points. An overcall suggests a five-card or longer suit, but to treat the chunky four-card suit as a five-carder was acceptable. West’s option was to double, but a two-diamond “advance” by East would have given him another problem.