An Even Break

West led the ♦ 2, East won the ace and continued with the ♦ 9. Declarer played the jack, West won the queen, and inexplicably shifted to a club. Perhaps West thought that partner had started with ♦ A-9-3.

Declarer lost the club finesses, and East continued with another diamond, which declarer won. (Declarer pitched two hearts from dummy on the diamonds.)

Declarer played the ♠ K and ♠ A, and found out about the bad spade split. If spades had split remotely kindly, 3 NT would have been in the bag, with five spade tricks, three clubs, and a diamond.

Our declarer was still able to make his contract. Running the clubs, declarer came down to the following position:

			♠ Q J 8 ♥ K ♦ — ♣ J
♠ 10 6 5 ♥ A ♦ 10 ♣ —						♠ — ♥ 9 7 ♦ 8 ♣ 7 6
			♠ — ♥ Q 8 5 3 2 ♦ — ♣ —

West can safely pitch a heart and a diamond of the first two clubs, but now is stuck. Obviously, he must keep the ♥ A, and just as obviously, he must keep three spades. Therefore the only card to part with is the ♦ 10. Now declarer exits with the ♥ K, and West is forced to win and lead away from the ♠ 10.

West's club switch was awful, and declarer was able to use it to his advantage. Remember, never give a sucker an even break.