You are West. Rubber bridge, both vul.

If you think that there is no problem, that double is
obvious, you are wrong! Of course, there exists a
considerable chance that your side will compete with
spades against their hearts.

From the other point of view, however, they are stronger
in highcard points. Therefore, the possibility that they
will double your contract, or play the hand better with
the information you provide, is quite real. Your call?

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

Taking into account tens, nines and eights, you decided
finally to compete with the takeout double.

What is your first lead? Make some deep reasoning
before the final decision.

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

A trump lead is best. It is not because you want to
minimize the number of declarer's ruffs (usual rationale),
but because leading other suits is much more dangerous.
Assume you led the 10 and you see the dummy.

Declarer plays the king of hearts, then queen (4, 8 from
partner; 6, 7 from South), and finally the ace of trumps.

Maybe you haven't noticed but the first key moment of the
hand has arrived! To make a proper decision you must
formulate your basic priority for this hand. You must think
deeply! This problem is very difficult! What do you discard?

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

You can count one trick in clubs (you hope) and one
trick in diamonds. Clearly there is no trick in hearts.
Therefore, you must take two tricks in spades. If
partner holds the king, there'll be no problem. If South
holds the K, and maybe the 10, it is absolutely
necessary that your partner lead the spade suit and
not you!

One of the possible ways to reach East is through
diamonds! He must hold the 10 for this purpose.
You may wonder why we are discussing this problem now?

For your partner to win the diamond trick, you must
keep the 8 and 9 of diamonds. But one of them is
the most obvious candidate to part with on the third
round of trumps! Therefore, what do you part with on
the last heart?

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

Actually you were in a sort of squeeze!

Assume you discarded the 9 and saw the 9 from partner.

It was dangerous to discard a spade, because declarer
could have 4 spades. In such a case he can present
you with two spades tricks and you will lose your club
trick! But you had to pitch something.

Next the 4 is played from declarer's hand. What do
you play?

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

You played low and dummy's J wins (3 form partner).

Declarer crosses to the hand with the A (7 from
partner). What do you do on this trick?

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

To be sure to set the contract regardless of the spade
distribution, you need the suit to be led twice by your
partner. On the first small spade led by partner,
declarer can play the K (from K-10-x) and you
still will be in trouble.

You need to part with the Q, hoping that partner holds
the jack.

Now declarer leads the 2. Which of the three diamonds
are you going to play?

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

You must play the least obvious: the queen!

Once you've done this declarer is helpless. Partner
has the 10 and guarded club jack, so he can gain the
lead twice to play spades through. The whole hand:

 South
   -
   -
   -
   -

This hand occurred during Internet play on one of the
Polish bridge servers. Standard signals in Poland is
reverse count.

The player sitting East, trying to be exact in describing
his holdings, threw the 10 on the first round of diamonds!

The End.

 South
   K 10 7
   A J 7 6
   7 4
   A 10 8

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