BRIDgE

Recipe for a double-digit IMP swing: Add a very poor opening lead at one table to just a pinch of careless play at the other and you’ll end with one declarer making four spades while the other South goes down.

A moderately unfriendly lie of the defenders’ cards in the normal contract of four spades.

That lie was largely neutralized at one table by the misguided opening lead of the ace of hearts: that old bugaboo, the opening lead of an unsupported ace!

West shifted to a club, but the damage (the establishment of South’s heart King) had already been done. Declarer won a top club, cashed the other and played King and a spade to hand. King of hearts (diamond discard from dummy) and a heart ruff before exiting dummy with the club Jack.

East won and fired back his last club, but West didn’t have the last defensive trump so no overruff was forthcoming when South trumped the club, drew East’s last small spade and played a diamond to the ace — hello King!

Not so easy after a trump lead at the other table as South won dummy’s King to play a diamond toward his hand. King from East for a return of the four of hearts.

An opportunistic (and cost-free!) play of the ten would have worked very well indeed but South woodenly played the six for West to win the seven (!!!) and deliver a diamond ruff.

Spade exit from East and South was left to consider a harsh reality. He had lost three tricks and still had three potential losers (two hearts and one club) and could only get rid of two of those!