Make the right play.
Bridge Column for May 13, 2001, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
Both sides vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: 7 2            
                              H: K J 7 3     
                              D: J 6 5       
                              C: A K 5 2  
            WEST                             EAST
            S: J 10 9 8 3                    S: K 6 4        
            H: A 8 4                         H: Q 6 2      
            D: Q 7                           D: 10 9 8            
            C: 9 8 7                         C: Q 10 4 3    
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: A Q 5 
                              H: 10 9 5     
                              D: A K 4 3 2 
                              C: J 6      
          The Bidding://
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   1D      Pass     1H      Pass

                   1NT     Pass     3NT     Pass
                   Pass    Pass     
     After a very normal auction, West led the jack of spades. 
East played the king and South wins the ace.  Cover the East-West
cards and decide how you would continue before reading on.
     Declarer has six top tricks with chances for three more in
hearts or diamonds.  At first glance, bringing in the heart suit
appears to be a 50-50 chance based on the location of the queen. 
If that card is in the West hand, declarer will be able to score
three heart tricks to go along with two spades, two diamonds, and
two clubs.
     When this hand was played, South thought that was his best
chance and when the ten of hearts lost to the queen, East
returned a spade.  South held up once but was forced to win the
spade continuation and there was no chance for the contract.  He
dropped the doubleton queen of diamonds but had no fast entry
back to the South hand to enjoy the long diamonds.
     South should have played the top diamonds first to combine
his chances.  If the queen of diamonds did not fall, he would
then be able to take the heart finesse, making his contract if
either suit worked.  Had he taken that line of play he would have
come to nine tricks without ever having to try the hearts.
     Take the time to work out your entries before deciding which
line of play you will try.  You will making more contracts when
you combine you chances for success.  
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.