Perhaps the best value for money is a world championship book. Each offers more than 300 pages packed with deals, photos and information about the various titles up for grabs.

This deal, from the 2010 World Women's Pairs Championship, shows the advantage of playing in a contract with declarer's hand effectively unknown.

The winners were Lynn Deas and Beth Palmer from the United States. This was their first board in the final session.

Deas (North) opened two diamonds, showing a weak two-bid in either major. Commonly known as the Multi, this bid enjoys considerable popularity around the planet, but is permitted in the United States only in major events. Palmer (South) was happy to play in game, so jumped to four clubs, asking her partner to bid the suit below her real suit. In this way, South became the declarer in four spades. (Most pairs declared from the North side, which made the defense much easier. The defenders took one trick in each side suit and, if East led a club, a club ruff.)

Against Palmer, West, who had no winning lead, aggressively chose the club king.

South won with her ace, cashed her top trumps, then played a diamond to dummy's jack. East took her ace and, thinking her partner had the club queen, returned a club.

Declarer won with dummy's jack, drew the last trump, and ran the diamonds, discarding dummy's heart.

Plus 480 was a complete top for Deas and Palmer.

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