BRIDGE NOTES: How varied can bridge be?

Competitive bridge has a fascination that is unsurpassable in any other sports, for here, the competition is not merely restricted to one or two opponents but can stretch to thousands across the world where duplicate boards are played giving you the true test of your standing in bridge. For as the results vary, so does one's ranking in that particular deal.
But whereas in a duplicate pairs, the results can have a lot of variation, in a Team Championship it is usually 2 against 2 which decides who has the upper hand. Here the stake is higher for one bad board can make a huge difference in the outcome of any bridge contest between two teams, more so when the contest is in the international arena and national pride and honour of a country are at stake.
Today's illustration is taken to show you how bridge players vary in their approach to the contract playing different systems and conventions and then with differing opening leads, how the play differs between the two declarers: In the open room the contract went as under on the following deal.
South's 1NT was a bit murky, open in two suits, and that too with both doubletons. When south showed spades and diamonds and then cue bid in spade, showing 2 key cards on the turbo 4NT by bidding 5C, north jumped to slam in diamonds. The opening lead was a heart to the AH followed by a trump shift. The declarer in order to make the slam either had to get the spades going or the club suit with a cross ruff offering some hope.
The declarer here took a simple line. He tried to ruff out the clubs first, then took a ruffing finesse against KS, the rationale being that east's failure to shift to spades at trick 2 meant west probably was holding KS. As the saying goes, "the line was simple, the operation unsuccessful the patient dead". The bidding in the closed room had a different tenor to it and went about reaching the same. Contract of 6D as under:
The 2H was seeking ace in it which was denied by 2S. 3C enquired for second suit and 3H and 4H bids by south now sought controls. The opening lead here was from the other side - a low trump. Note that here north, not south is the declarer and declare made his first superlative play taking it in hand with the ace rather than the jack. In a blink of an eye he now took the spade finesse on his singleton which was courageously successful. Playing ace of spades, when he ruffed another spade, the bad break was depressing. Three rounds of clubs, ruffing in dummy saw east pitch a heart. On the 4th spade, when west discarded a heart too, declarer was let off to ruff low to reach this ending.
Now declarer led a top heart, east was a dead duck. If he went up with the ace and played back a trump to stop the cross ruff, declarer would make the contract. Can you see how? Drawing the last trump would squeeze west in hearts and clubs. Here lay declarer's sagacity at trick one to unblock AD at trick one to leave the lead in south. Alternately, if east withheld AH, declarer would cross ruff high.
Can you spot west's defensive error? Yes, had west ruffed in on the 4th spade, instead of discarding a heart - east could then either win AH and return a heart allowing him to pitch KS on declarers attempt to ruff the major in dummy. Alternately he could duck QH for the same result pitching a spade when declarer ruffs his club in dummy. Of course the contract is ice, if after spade finesse, declarer plays on clubs, using the heart entry to do so.
Do you see now how varied can bridge be?

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W         N         E         S

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-         -         P        1S

P        2C         P        2H

P        2S         P        3C

P        3D         P        3H

P        4D         P        4H

P        4S         P       4NT

P        5C         P        5S

P        6D            ALL PASS

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North      West      East     South

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    6        95     K8743    AQJ102

  KQ3     J8764      A109        52

 AJ42        96      1087      KQ53

AK953      QJ64       107        82

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W         N         E         S

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-         -         P       1NT

P        2C         P        2S

P        3C         P        3D

P        4D         P        4S

P       4NT         P        5C

P        6D            ALL PASS

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North      West      East     South

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    -         -         K         Q

  KQ3       J87       A10        52

    J         9       108        KQ

    9         Q         -         -

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