Making a very "thin" game.
Bridge Column for October 15, 2004, Harvey Bernstein
Special To The Plain Dealer
Both sides.  South deals.
                    North
                    S: 9
                    H: A 8 6 3  
                    D: 9 6 5 4
                    C: A 8 7 5

          West                 East
          S: K 8 2             S: A Q 6 5
          H: 7 4               H: K 9 2
          D: Q 10 8 3 2        D: J 7 
          C: 6 3 2             C: K J 10 9  
                    South
                    S: J 10 7 4 3  
                    H: Q J 10 5    
                    D: A K   
                    C: Q 4 
          The Bidding:  

          South   West    North    East 
           1S     Pass     1NT      2C
           2H     Pass     4H      Pass
           Pass   Pass

     After a very aggressive auction, West led the three of
clubs.  Declarer went up with the ace of clubs and played the
nine of spades.  East took the ace and cashed the king of clubs. 
He then played a third club.  Declarer trumped with the ten of
hearts.  He trumped a spade in dummy and played a diamond back to
the closed hand.  Another spade is trumped in dummy and another
diamond is led back.  This is the end position:
                    North
                    S: Void
                    H: A 8      
                    D: 9 6    
                    C: 8    

          West                 East
          S: Void              S: Q    
          H: 7 4               H: K 9 2
          D: Q 10 8            D: Void
          C: Void              C: J       
                    South
                    S: J 10        
                    H: Q J 5  
                    D: Void 
                    C: Void
  
     Do you see how to continue from this point?  Trump yet
another spade in dummy and then trump a club with the jack of
hearts.  Play your last spade and trump with the ace of hearts. 
Lead a diamond and if East plays the king of hearts, you play a
low heart, otherwise, you make your queen of hearts in passing. 
In all you score two top diamonds, one top club, and seven ruffs
for a total of ten tricks.  
     Declarer has played the hand very well.  It is questionable
if he should even be in this game.  North, having limited his
hand with a one no trump bid, probably has enough to raise the
two heart bid to three, but certainly not enough to jump to game.
     West can do much better  than leading the three of clubs. 
The bidding clearly indicates that the North hand has less than
three spades and at least four hearts.  West should lead a trump. 
Declarer will more than likely play low from dummy.  East wins
the king and returns another trump.  Declarer does best to win
and duck a spade which will be won by East who will lead a third
trump, dooming this hand to at least a one trick set.  Declarer
will win (at most) one spade, three hearts, two diamonds, and two
clubs.  
     Defenders find it difficult to attack the trump suit, but
often, when the bidding indicates that the hand is
distributional, a trump lead will produce the best result for the
defense. 
_______________________________________________
Bernstein is a free-lance writer in Solon.