A Costly Example

	J 8 4
	K 8
	K 10 7
	A K 10 4 3
K 7 5 2		10
J 10 7 6		A 9 5 4 3 2
J 6 3		8 5
Q 7		J 9 5 2
	A Q 9 6 3
	Q
	A Q 9 4 2	Contract: 4 spades, 5 diamonds
	8 6	Opening lead: various

An open-and-shut case, I would say. You've got identical 5-3 fits in both a major and a minor and are destined to lose the same tricks, whichever is trump, namely one to the K of spades, another to the A of hearts. You'll note that though the diamond suit is a tad stronger, it doesn't make your trick potential any stronger by naming it trump.

And the penalty for choosing the lesser suit for trump was substantial: 42 matchpoints! (Spades, making five, brought 50%, 5 diamonds 8%!)

There isn't much to say about the play of the hand. It was rather routine, though a couple of declarers sneaked that Q of hearts past East's ace and got 96%. One other declarer was in the 90's: 3 no, making 5, those extra 10 points leapfrogging declarer past all those making 5 spades, just short of a those making 12 tricks in hearts, for 92%. Of course a heart lead would have fixed that pair's wagon, since they can now be held to 9 tricks (5 diamonds, 2 clubs, a spade and a heart) and fewer than 9 if they try for an overtrick.

'Nuff said?