Take the right finesse.
Bridge Column for July 30, 2000, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
Both sides vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: J 8 7            
                              H: J 8 3       
                              D: A J 10 9 6  
                              C: Q 8   
            WEST                             EAST
            S: Q 9 5 4 3                     S: 10 6 2       
            H: 6 2                           H: Q 10 5 4   
            D: 7 3                           D: Q 5 4 2           
            C: J 6 5 2                       C: K 3         
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: A K    
                              H: A K 9 7    
                              D: K 8       
                              C: A 10 9 7 4 
          The Bidding://
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   2NT     Pass     3NT     Pass
                   Pass    Pass     
     West leads the four of spades against your very normal three
no trump contract.  There is no problem at trick one, you must
win the spade in the closed hand.  Decide how you will continue
before reading on.
     When this hand was played, declarer looked at that beautiful
diamond suit and decided that was the way to go.  He played the
king of diamonds at trick two and followed that with the eight of
diamonds to the nine in dummy.  East won the queen and returned a
spade.  When a club to the queen lost to the king, declarer was
held to seven tricks.
     So, did you make the same mistake?  Well, if you must play
diamonds, start with the eight at trick two, overtaking with the
nine in dummy.  If East wins the queen, your problems are over. 
The king of diamonds can be overtaken with the ace and you score
four diamond tricks to go along with two spades, two hearts and a
club.
     East, however, should duck the diamond play.  You are in the
dummy and now it is right to work at setting up your clubs. 
After all, you have plenty of entries to the South hand.  To this
end, lead the queen of clubs.  If East covers, you win and drive
out the jack.  If East ducks, the queen will hold and you repeat
the finesse, picking up the king.  It is a simple matter to drive
out the jack and make your contract with an overtrick. 
     Learn to be flexible and combine your chances.  Your game
will improve right along with your score.
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