BRIDGE

SOUTH tried a "discovery" play on this deal but was outwitted by East. If declarer had played more normally he would still have been likely to fail.

East's choice of One No-trump for his opening bid would not have been everyone's but, on his methods, a rebid of One No-trump would have shown more than the advertised 12-14 points and he did not fancy re-bidding his threadbare diamonds. South chanced an overcall of Two Spades and, after a pass by West, North raised to game. West led the jack of clubs against Four Spades and, after taking his three club tricks, East switched to the ten of hearts.

South's problem was quite simple - who held the missing queen of trumps? East, after his opening bid, was a hot favourite, but there was no great hurry. After winning the heart switch in dummy, declarer advanced the king of diamonds! You can see his idea - if East covered with the ace he will have already shown up with 13 points and, after ruffing, declarer can play West for the queen of spades.

East, however, had been there before. What possible motive could there have been for declarer's odd play? After East had disinterestedly played low on the king, declarer (placing the ace with West and, therefore, almost certainly the queen of spades with East) ruffed and proceeded to take the wrong view in the trump suit.