Learn to use all of the information.
Bridge Column for October 31, 2003, Harvey Bernstein
Neither side vulnerable.  West deals.
                              North
                              S: K 7              
                              H: 9 6 5 2     
                              D: J 9 4       
                              C: 8 7 6 3 
            West                             East
            S: J 9 6 4 3                     S: A 10 5   
            H: J 3                           H: 10 8       
            D: A K 10 3 2                    D: Q 8 7 6           
            C: K                             C: J 10 5 2    
                              South                         
                              S: Q 8 2
                              H: A K Q 7 4  
                              D: 5         
                              C: A Q 9 4  
          The Bidding:  
                   West   North     East   South                  
                    1S     Pass      2S     3H  
                    3S      4H      Pass    Pass
                   Pass
     Thanks to Jim Bachelder of Columbus for this hand from the
open pair event at a sectional tournament last summer.  Bachelder
held the South cards and found himself to be the declarer in this
four heart contract.
     West led the ace of diamonds and when that held the first
trick, continued with the king.  Bachelder trumped this with a
small heart and then pulled trump in two rounds.  A small spade
was led towards the king and won by the ace from East.  The ten
of spades came back to declarer's queen and a small spade was
trumped in the dummy.
     At this point Bachelder stopped to take an inventory of what
he knew for sure.  West has shown up with nine high card points
so far (the ace-king of diamonds and two major suit jacks) and
yet, he did make the opening bid.  It is clear that he has the
king of clubs.  Also, West is known to have five spades, two
hearts and probably at least four diamonds, maybe five.  
     With this in mind, Bachelder played a club to the ace and
the singleton king fell from the West hand.  A small club went to
the 8 in dummy and forced East to split his high clubs to win
this trick.  East returned the queen of diamonds.  Bachelder
trumped high and led his last small trump to the nine in dummy so
that he could take the marked club finesse and make his contract.
     Keep in mind that making this contract did not require any
magic at all.  Bachelder counted the cards and the high card
points in one hand and realized that the club finesse for the
king, if taken, would fail.  Had the king not appeared on the
first round of clubs, he would have continued with a small club
and the doubleton king would have won that trick, but it would
ahve been the only club trick for the opponents and the queen
would clear the suit.  In either case, he used all the
information at his disposal and made the right play.  Well done!
_______________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.