Bridge by Frank Stewart

Declarers should be aware of possible bad splits, but to remind an opponent of that possibility is pointless.

When I watched today's deal in a team match, the auction began the same way at both tables, but one West let South play four hearts undoubled. West led the jack of spades, and South ruffed unconcernedly and started the trumps.

West took the ace and continued with the ten of spades, and South ruffed again and was in trouble: West had more trumps that he did. South cashed his remaining trumps, the A-K of clubs and the A-K of diamonds, but when he led a diamond to his queen, West ruffed. The defense took the rest; down one.

At the other table, West perpetrated a double of four hearts that was horrible in more ways than one. East's jump to two spades was preemptive, so West couldn't be sure of beating six hearts, much less four. Moreover, the double told South that trumps were splitting badly.

When West led the jack of spades, South preserved his trump length by discarding a club. On the next spade, South threw a diamond. He ruffed the third spade, lost to the ace of trumps, won the club return, came to the ace of diamonds, drew trumps, and claimed 10 tricks.

"Good grief," East muttered. "Why not just take out a full-page ad in the newspaper and warn declarer that he must play safe?"

The first South could have succeeded also, but he had no warning double to help him. His team would have lost IMPs anyway.