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Opening lead: 6

We personally think that 5 is the right technical
call, but at one table in the recent Bermuda Bowl
final between USA and Italy, Jeff Meckstroth
passed 4 and made 5. West led a club.
Meckstroth ruffed and led two rounds of hearts,
and then claimed 12 tricks! But, said the director,
West could lead a third heart and declarer's natural
play is to ruff high in dummy, so only 11 tricks
were allowed.

At the other table, the Italians reached 6
doubled and redoubled after a much more
complicated auction! West (Bob Hamman) led
a diamond and the play went similarly (declarer
won the ace in dummy and led a heart to the ace
and a low heart, but he did not claim when West
won the second heart with the jack). Hamman
led the king of hearts at trick four and declarer
ruffed high in dummy, then cashed the other high
trump in dummy. Down one! That was 12 imps to
the USA, in a match that the USA won by one imp.

Have a nice weekend!