Find the correct defense.
Bridge Column for September 19, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  North deals.
                              North
                              S: A 9            
                              H: A J 4       
                              D: K Q 8 6 4   
                              C: A 7 5   
            West                             East
            S: 8 6 3                         S: K 10 7 5 4 
            H: K Q 8                         H: 10 2       
            D: J 7 2                         D: A 5 3             
            C: Q J 8 6                       C: 10 9 2      
                              South                         
                              S: Q J 2 
                              H: 9 7 6 5 3  
                              D: 10 9     
                              C: K 4 3    
          The Bidding:  
                  North    East    South    West                  
                   1D      Pass     1H      Pass
                   4H      Pass     Pass    Pass
     Many players would evaluate the North hand in different
ways.  Some would count it as 17+ points and open one no trump;
others would open one diamond and rebid two no trump to show 18
or 19.  Three no trump is a possible contract, but when this hand
was dealt during a rubber bridge game, South found himself
declaring four hearts.
     The opening lead was the six of spades.  The ace was played
from dummy.  The nine of spades was led to trick two.  East won
the king and West played the eight.  The ten of clubs was placed
on the table.  Declarer played the king, which held, and then
played the queen of spades, pitching a small club from dummy.
     The ten of diamonds went to the king and ace.  The nine of
clubs went to the ace in dummy.  The queen of diamonds won the
next trick and a small diamond was trumped in the closed hand
leaving this end position:
                              North
                              S:                
                              H: A J 4       
                              D: 8 6     
                              C:         
            West                             East
            S:                               S: 10 7     
            H: K Q 8                         H: 10 2       
            D:                               D:                   
            C: Q 8                           C: 2           
                              South                         
                              S:       
                              H: 9 7 6 5    
                              D:          
                              C: 3
     At this point, the defense has won the king of spades and
the ace of diamonds.  Declarer needs to win four of the last five
tricks.  He leads the five of hearts.  West plays the eight and
the jack is played from dummy.  East plays the two.  The ace of
hearts catches the ten and the queen.  Declarer calls for the
good eight of diamonds and when East pitches a spade, the three
of clubs is discarded from the South hand.  West trumps, but
South has nothing left but hearts, making four.
     Do you see the error that allowed this hand to make.  If
West splits his trump honors when South first leads a heart to
dummy, the hand cannot be made!  If declarer wins the ace and
plays the jack, smothering the ten, West will win the trick with
his other honor and play the queen of clubs.  Declarer must trump
in dummy and lead a diamond, but if he trumps low, West trumps
higher, and if declarer trumps with the nine, West discards and
wins the next trick.
     If, as a defender, you have been doing your work and
counting the two unseen hands, you should be able to figure out
declarer's distribution and make this play.
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Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.