Make the most of your assets.
Bridge Column for February 20, 2000, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
Both sides vulnerable.  West deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: 9 8              
                              H: A K 6 5     
                              D: A K Q J 8   
                              C: A 7     
            WEST                             EAST
            S: A K 10 4 3 2                  S: Q 6          
            H: 10 3                          H: Q J 9      
            D: 5                             D: 10 9 6 2          
            C: K J 9 6                       C: 10 8 5 3    
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: J 7 5 
                              H: 8 7 4 2    
                              D: 7 4 3     
                              C: Q 4 2    
          The Bidding://
                  WEST    NORTH    EAST    SOUTH                  
                   1S    Double    Pass     2H   
                   2S       4H     Pass     Pass
                  Pass
     This hand was submitted by Lil Siegel of Beachwood who held
the South cards at a local duplicate game.  Her partner was
Loretta Shainker of Beachwood.  Shainker's bidding was well
reasoned.  In a heart contract, her cards would produce a minimum
of eight tricks.  She would need very little from South to make
game.
     On the other hand, Siegel held what could best be described
as one of the worst possible hands to respond with.  None the
less, she became declarer in a game contract.  
     On opening lead, West tabled the ace of spades followed by
the king.  East contributed the six and the queen, in that order.
     Normally, holding two cards in the suit that your partner
leads the ace from, you should play the higher card at your first
opportunity and the lower card next.  This "high-low" sequence
tells partner that you started with an even number of cards in
that suit and he can defend accordingly.     
     One of the exceptions to that rule is when you hold "honor-
small".  The rule then is to discard the small card first.       
     At trick three, West led the two of spades.  This was a
clear request for a shift to a club in the event that East was
able to win this trick.  Declarer discarded the seven of clubs
from dummy while East trumped with the nine of hearts.
     Unfortunately for the defense, East was trumping with a
natural trick, while declarer was discarding a loser.  The club
return was won in the North hand.  Trump was drawn in two rounds,
and declarer was able to claim.
     To give the defense a fighting chance, West has to abandon
spades after trick one and shift to a diamond or a heart.  Still,
declarer can bring home the contract with careful play.  After
winning trick two, draw two rounds of trump and play on diamonds. 
If the defender with the long trump also has at least four
diamonds, as shown in the diagram, declarer will be able to
discard two clubs on the fourth and fifth diamond.  East can
trump the fifth diamond, but declarer is in control.  She wins
any return and trumps a little club for the tenth trick.  
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