It’s that time of year again.I remember in my ‘addict’ days welcoming Christmas and Hannukah with mixed feelings excitement, of course, at the family stuff, presents, egg nog, overeating and all that comes with it, but all the time against a backdrop of regret because there was less bridge played over the holidays.I’m sure there are still a number amongst you that feel the same way, so let me wish you the best in coping with it, and I hope that the holiday festivities more than make up for it and sustain you through the new year.This is not the New Year column, which comes next week. Watch out for that as I will be compiling a list of bridge do’s and don’ts around which you can build some New Year’s resolutions to put alongside the ‘weight loss, cut down on alcohol, call mother more often’ ones that you have each year.Today’s hand could easily be called mistakes, mistakes, mistakes. I watched it being played and it was like watching a beautiful painting being slashed.N/S Vulnerable …dealer SouthS J1062H QJ983D K92C QS KQH A762D 8763C K84WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH1D2C DBL Pass 2H3C 3H 4C PassPass 4H Pass PassPassI was North and whilst I was not totally comfortable with my final bid I thought it must have a chance .West led the Club Ace and then switched to a spade. East won the Ace and returned a spade and now partner actually did some thinking. Once the spade Ace turns up with East the heart king was likely to be with West so at trick, four partner laid down the heart Ace and the king fell from West.This was now the position :S J10H QJ98D K92C NoneS NoneH 762D 8763C K8This was a great development, and since the diamond Ace was almost certainly with West the hand now looks like a make until partner, who had done so well up to this point, excitedly played another heart to draw trumps. this was still not terminal, but when he followed up by taking two diamond discards on the spades it was.All too late partner realised that there was no way back to hand and he was now stuck in dummy and had to lead away from the diamond King one down.The full hand :J1062QJ983ŸK92Q853 A974K 1054ŸAQ5 ŸJ104AJ10973 652KQA762Ÿ8763K84There are tons of ways partner could have avoided this: Play the 8 of hearts under the Ace so that the 3 can provide an entry to the 7; Or simply don’t discard on the last spade but ruff it, play the Club king throwing a diamond and then lead a diamond; Or even just lead a diamond straight after the heart King comes down.Three winning options but partner, who initially thought this was a hopeless contract and then positioned himself to make it, inexplicably grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory.The lessons: Keep a clear head; Imagine how you need the opponents cards to lie for you to make your contract and then plan your play based on that; And then, keep a clear head.Have a great Christmas and try and sneak in some bridge.