Opening two spades and forcing your opponents to start bidding at the three level is a huge advantage. Despite this, some players, maybe most players, would not open the South hand due to their holding in the heart suit. Player’s choice. North-South had agreed that a raise of a weak two-bid was mildly invitational, showing three-card support and 12-14 points. Opener, with both a maximum and shortness somewhere, could carry on to game. That is what South did, and a very close game was reached.
The opening club lead went to the 10 and jack, and then East shifted to a low diamond. South ruffed, led a spade to the ace and another back to his king, drawing trumps. South needed to play the heart suit for only one loser. There are several lies of the missing hearts that will allow this if declarer guesses well, and South started by leading a low heart toward dummy and inserting the eight! East won this with the queen and led another diamond, ruffed by South.
Declarer had a big decision at this point. He might have banged down the ace of hearts, hoping to fell the king, but this declarer made no mistake. He crossed to dummy with a spade to the nine and led the jack of hearts, running it when East played low. Success! This play pinned West’s 10 of hearts and allowed South to make the rest of his hearts, conceding only a club at the end. Well played!
