Adrienne Rich, a poet and essayist who died in 2012, said, “Pride is a tricky, glorious, double-edged feeling.”

In bridge, bidding decisions can be tricky – as in this deal – and there are 13 tricks in the play. What do you think of this auction? How should the play go in five clubs after West leads the diamond 10? Did West have a more effective opening salvo?

The given auction occurred when the deal was originally played. South was a tad nervous in overcalling two clubs, for fear that it would be passed out. But he thought that unlikely given his heart void. West might have raised diamonds. Then North had a tricky decision. With 5-5 in the majors and the useful club king, she did not want to pass, but had only eight points. What would you have done?

I think North should have bid two spades, the higherranking of two five-card suits first. If she had, maybe she would have ended in four or more spades. Note that six spades fails if East, after cashing the diamond ace, shifts to a heart.

North, though, preferred to show her stronger suit. Then South bid what he hoped he could make.

East won the first trick with his diamond queen and shifted to a trump. Declarer won in the dummy, played a spade to his queen, trumped a diamond, ran the spade jack, ruffed a heart, drew trumps, and took 11 tricks, losing two diamonds.

West would have done better to lead a trump, which would have killed the contract – but that was tricky to find.