Ali, the girl you love, opens 1 in third seat, and the opps bid to
4. What is your opening lead?

Does it matter that she did not double 2?

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

It's not clear whether the double calls for a diamond lead or shows a
takeout double of spades with extra values. Do you know which way you
play this double in your favorite partnership? In any case, you lead
a diamond, because Ali bid diamonds and you have short diamonds.

Ali wins the 10 of diamonds, then plays the queen and king, as declarer
follows with the 3, 4 and 9. What do you discard on the third diamond trick?

1. West on lead
2. East on lead
3. East on lead

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

You discard the 8 of hearts. Perhaps you would like to throw a club
instead, to tell partner to keep her four clubs to the jack. Ali
doesn't need help to keep her four clubs to the jack. But declarer
might hold ace-third of clubs and may have to guess where the jack
of clubs is later in the hand.

Ali switches at trick four to the 2 of hearts. South plays the ace
and you play the 3. There's no point in giving count here, since the
only person it can help is declarer. Now comes three rounds of
trumps, partner following with the 2 and 9, and then discarding a
diamond. Declarer, who has two trumps left, leads his next-to-last
trump.

3. East on lead
4. East on lead
5. South on lead
6. North on lead
7. North on lead
8. South on lead

This is the position with you to play (see left):

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

It looks like South has the ace of clubs, and he is going to discard
both hearts from dummy on the two last trumps. He then needs four
club tricks. You must convince him that you have the jack of clubs.
One way to do this is to throw that queen of hearts on the last
trump. Throw the 10 and then the queen! South may then believe you
have four clubs left to the jack.

8. South on lead
9. South on lead

This is the hand you envision:

	North    A J 3    9 6 4    J 7 5    K Q 10 5
West You 8 7 5 Q 10 8 5 3 6 2 9 7 2	East 9 2 K 7 2 A K Q 10 8 J 6 3
	South    K Q 10 6 4    A J    9 4 3    A 8 4

 South
   —
   —
   —
   —

South — 1 3	West pass pass pass	North pass 2 4	East 1 pass all pass
Opening lead: 6

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When you throw the 10 and queen of hearts, declarer will lead a club
to the king, a club back to the ace and then a club to the 10. Ali
will win the jack and cash the king of hearts for down two. She will
immediately marry you!

But after the trumps are finished, declarer now shocks you by
leading the king of hearts, followed by the jack and 7! The full hand
was:

	North    A J 3    9 6 4    J 7 5    K Q 10 5
West You — Q 10 5 — 9 7 2	East 9 2 2 A K Q 10 8 A J 6 4 3
	South    K Q 10 6 4    A K J 7    9 4 3    8

Not to worry. South has a club at the end, and Ali has the ace. Down one.

That was a close one, says Ali. You almost gave it away with those
crazy heart pitches. Should I have doubled 2D?

I'm not sure, you answer, but maybe we can discuss it on our honeymoon.

Fat chance, says Ali. Let's see how you perform on the next deal....

THE END

 South
   K Q 10 6 4
   A J
   9 4 3
   A 8 4

South — 1 3	West pass pass pass	North pass 2 4	East 1 pass all pass
Opening lead: 6

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