Playing the right suit.
Bridge Column for May 20, 2001, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
Both sides vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: K Q 3            
                              H: 6 3         
                              D: Q 8 5 4     
                              C: A Q 4 2 
            WEST                             EAST
            S: A 10 6                        S: 9 8 5 4      
            H: K J 8 7 5                     H: 9 4 2      
            D: 7 6                           D: A 10 9 3          
            C: 8 6 3                         C: 7 5         
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: J 7 2  
                              H: A Q 10     
                              D: K J 2     
                              C: K J 10 9 
          The Bidding:
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   1NT     Pass     3NT     Pass
                   Pass    Pass
     West opened the seven of hearts against three no trump. 
Place yourself in the South seat, cover the East-West cards, and
decide how to continue after winning the ten of hearts.
     When the hand was actually played, South elected to play the
king of diamonds to trick two.  East won the ace and played a
heart through South's holding, clearing that suit.  The ace of
spades became the entry allowing West to score a two trick set.
     Declarer decided that if he had started spades at trick two
he would have made his contract.  He was right, but he was also
wrong.  
     Playing spades first will never get declarer to nine tricks,
and if the two aces that are held by the defense are switched,
playing spades first will always lose.
     At trick two, South should cross to dummy's ace of clubs and
lead a small diamond toward the king.  If East ducks, South wins
and switches to spades.  He winds up taking two spades, two
hearts, one diamond, and four clubs (at least). 
     If East wins the first diamond trick, South will be able to
follow low and win he gains the lead with the ace of hearts he
will take two hearts, three diamonds, and four clubs.  
     If West wins the first trick, he cannot profitably attack
the heart suit and declarer will make two overtricks.
     Try to base your decision on which suit offers the greatest
reward if the cards sit right and the least penalty when they are
wrong.  In the case of today's hand, the fact that the diamond
suit could produce enough tricks to fulfill the contract is the
reason to play that suit first.  Leading a small card through the
East hand protects the contract from defeat when East holds the
ace.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.