To duck, or not to duck?
Bridge Column for September 9, 2001, By HARVEY BERNSTEIN
East-West vulnerable.  South deals.
                              NORTH
                              S: 10 9 6 2         
                              H: Q J 10 5    
                              D: 10 4 3    
                              C: A Q     
            WEST                             EAST
            S: K J 5 3                       S: Void         
            H: K 3 2                         H: 9 8 7 6 4  
            D: 2                             D: J 9 7 6           
            C: 10 8 7 3 2                    C: K 9 6 5     
                              SOUTH                         
                              S: A Q 8 7 4 
                              H: A          
                              D: A K Q 8 5 
                              C: J 4      
          The Bidding://
                  SOUTH    WEST    NORTH    EAST                  
                   1D      Pass     1H      Pass
                   2S      Pass     4S      Pass
                   Pass    Pass
     It appeared that four spades was going to be defeated when
the dummy came down.  Declarer finds both black kings poorly
placed and with a combined holding of 29 high card points, cannot
make his game.  A very simple defensive slip, however, gave South
the chance to shine.
     West opened with the eight of clubs.  Many would lead a
small club but this partnership has agreed to lead second best
from a long suit without at least one of the top three honors. 
Declarer won the ace and ran the ten of spades to West's jack.
     The two of clubs went to the queen and king.  East shifted
to the nine of hearts which South won, perforce.  He tabled the
seven of spades.  West, in no apparent rush, played low and the
seven won the trick.
     Declarer had a pretty good picture of the hand.  If diamonds
divided 3-2 he would have no problem, if they did not, he now had
an alternative.  He cashed the ace of spades leaving West holding
the bare king, a trick he was going to win in any event. 
Declarer abandoned spades and started playing top diamonds.  If
West trumped in, he was doing so with a trick he was always going
to get, and declarer still had trump in both hands to clear
diamonds and cash out.  If West discarded on diamonds, declarer
would be able to trump his fourth diamond in dummy and then trump
a heart back to his hand to play the fifth diamond.
     What appeared to be a safe play at the time led to a very
bad result.  When you are contemplating ducking a trick, make
sure your action doesn't come back to haunt you.       
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.