Can you find the tenth trick?
Bridge Column for September 5, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
Both sides vulnerable.  South deals.
                              North
                              S: 4 3           
                              H: 8 6         
                              D: K Q J 5 3   
                              C: K 9 5 4 
            West                             East
            S: J 6 2                         S: 9 5         
            H: J 7 2                         H: K 10 9 4   
            D: 7 6 4                         D: A 9 2             
            C: Q J 7 2                       C: A 10 6 3    
                              South                         
                              S: A K Q 10 8 7 
                              H: A Q 5 3    
                              D: 10 8      
                              C: 8        
          The Bidding:  
                  South    West    North    East                  
                   1S      Pass     2D      Pass
                   2H      Pass     2S      Pass
                   4S      Pass     Pass    Pass
     West opened the queen of clubs.  The king was played from
dummy.  East played the ace and declarer played the eight.  The
three of clubs was next.  South trumped with the seven of spades.
     The ten of diamonds was led and allowed to hold the third
trick.  The eight of diamonds went to the jack and ace.  East got
off lead with a low club.  Declarer trumped and played the ace of
hearts.  Everyone followed and declarer continued with a low
heart.  West jumped up with the jack and led another club,
trumped by declarer.
     A small heart was trumped in dummy.  A spade provided the
entry to the closed hand to draw the outstanding trump, but the
last trick was won by the king of hearts in the East hand for a
one trick set.
     Declarer made a very subtle mistake during the play.  At
trick three, when he led the ten of diamonds and West follows
low, declarer should call for the jack of diamonds from dummy. 
East can win this trick or not, but declarer will always have an
entry to the closed hand to lead a heart toward his ace-queen
combination.  This play will allow declarer to score six spade
tricks in hand, two hearts, one heart trumped in dummy, and one
diamond trick for a total of ten.
     The defense could also do better if East shifts to a spade
at trick two and then leads another spade after winning the ace
of diamonds.  This denies declarer the ability to trump a heart
in dummy and insures a one trick set.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.