Curious deal

Bermuda Bowl qualifier in Europe. At one table, after a complex auction that led to roughly the same

Bermuda Bowl qualifier in Europe. At one table, after a complex auction that led to roughly the same decision for North, North decided to takeout his partner’s double of four spades, bidding four no trump to let partner choose the trump suit. South wanted to play in slam and cue-bid his opponent’s suit trying to force North to help pick the trump suit. North wanted no part of slam and passed five spades, reasoning that, undoubled, this would only cost 50 points a trick.

The opponents led and continued spades, forcing South to find eight discards on his own trump suit. We are confident that we have never used that phrase before. The first seven were easy, but the eighth was a bear. South chose to part with the king of clubs, so East shifted to a club and South was held to three tricks. Down eight for a score of 400. That would be pretty good if the East-West contract of four spades was making.

Four spades was defeated at most tables. The defense started with two high hearts, the second ruffed by declarer. East led a club, which South won and had no trouble finding the winning diamond shift. At seven tables, however, four spades was allowed to make. South led a high club at those tables and then shifted to a high heart. Here the diamond shift was not so obvious and a second high heart instead allowed the contract to make. Five spades down eight did not get what it deserved.