North 9 7 6 2 9 J 6 5 4 Q 8 6 3 West K Q 5 Q 8 7 6 5 4 A 9 7 9 East 10 8 A K J 3 K 10 A K 10 5 4 South A J 4 3 10 2 Q 8 3 2 J 7 2 The bidding: East South West North 5 2 3 2 East led the K

East started clubs and saw his partner's nine, asking for a continuation. At trick two, he led the ace of clubs on which West signaled with another nine, this one in diamonds. A third club was trumped with the five of spades and a heart was returned to East's king. Trusting his partner and wanting a diamond ruff for himself, East played the king of diamonds and a diamond to the ace.

West knew he was supposed to return a diamond. If he had one more to play, the bid makes. Not being able to produce a diamond, he tried a heart. North ruffed, led a spade to the ace, and South's spade return ended the hand. East-West came up one trick short, done in by West's innocent discard.

The blame should not be placed entirely on West. I am a staunch advocate of aggressive bidding, but only if a hand has three or more spades. A doubleton spade is a red flag; East should have been content to bid only four.