The early bird gets the worm

There are some plays that run so contrary to normal procedure that when the opportunity to make them arises, they can be easily overlooked. Yet when these selfsame plays are later pointed out, their wisdom cannot be denied.

Take this case where West led a heart against three notrump. South took East's ten with the queen and counted eight winners in spades, clubs and hearts. Because his ninth trick could come only from diamonds, he crossed to the spade king at trick two and led a low diamond toward his hand.

East then made a very good play by rising with the ace and returning a heart, establishing West's suit. Since declarer could not come to nine tricks without continuing diamonds, the contract went down one, the defenders scoring two diamonds and three hearts all told.

South's undoing occurred at trick one, when he took the ten of hearts with the queen. Had he refused to win this trick, declarer would have retained his Q-J as a second stopper against West's king, but with one important difference: After East returned a heart, he would have no more hearts to lead later on.

It then would not have mattered whether East won the first diamond lead or not. If he did, he could not continue hearts, giving South time to establish his diamond tricks. And if West won the first diamond lead, he would have no subsequent entry card to his long suit.

How can declarer know he should refuse the first heart trick? Because the chief threat to the contract is that West might have five hearts and a diamond entry. By ducking at trick one, South severs East-West communications without giving up his two heart tricks.

It is true that this approach would fail if West had five hearts and both diamond honors, but that holding is not nearly as likely as finding West with only one of the top diamonds.

(c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.