WEST leads the two of hearts against 4S. How will you play the contract? You can see one loser in hearts, two potential losers in diamonds and one loser in clubs (assuming, as you must, that East holds the club ace). You cannot avoid a heart loser, so diamonds is the problem suit. You must aim to eliminate hearts and clubs, after which you can lead a low diamond towards the jack, catching East in an end-play. How does the play go? It would not suit you for West to gain the lead, because he could play a diamond through the ace before you had completed the elimination. So, play low at Trick 1, allowing East (the safe hand) to win the first round of hearts. You win the heart continuation with the ace and lead a club towards the king. East rises with the ace and plays a second club to your king. You then overtake the nine of trumps with the ace and ruff dummy’s last heart with a high trump. With hearts and clubs eliminated, you play the carefully preserved four of trumps to dummy’s seven and lead a low diamond towards the jack. East wins with one honour but must then lead away from his other honour or give you a ruff-and-discard. Ten tricks are yours. (If East plays low on the first round of clubs, you will draw trumps, eliminate hearts and exit in clubs, forcing the defenders to play on the diamond suit with the same effect.)
What response will you make?
Answer
It may seem obvious to respond 1D, bidding your four-card suits ‘up the line’. This is not a mistake, exactly, but if partner rebids 1NT you may have missed a 4-4 heart fit. If instead the bidding starts 1C — 1H — 1NT, it is less important that you may have missed a 4-4 diamond fit. Suppose you hold 13 points instead, with the same shape. Since you could bid again you would be more inclined to respond 1D.
WEST leads the two of hearts against 4S. How will you play the contract? You can see one loser in hearts, two potential losers in diamonds and one loser in clubs (assuming, as you must, that East holds the club ace). You cannot avoid a heart loser, so diamonds is the problem suit. You must aim to eliminate hearts and clubs, after which you can lead a low diamond towards the jack, catching East in an end-play. How does the play go? It would not suit you for West to gain the lead, because he could play a diamond through the ace before you had completed the elimination. So, play low at Trick 1, allowing East (the safe hand) to win the first round of hearts. You win the heart continuation with the ace and lead a club towards the king. East rises with the ace and plays a second club to your king. You then overtake the nine of trumps with the ace and ruff dummy’s last heart with a high trump. With hearts and clubs eliminated, you play the carefully preserved four of trumps to dummy’s seven and lead a low diamond towards the jack. East wins with one honour but must then lead away from his other honour or give you a ruff-and-discard. Ten tricks are yours. (If East plays low on the first round of clubs, you will draw trumps, eliminate hearts and exit in clubs, forcing the defenders to play on the diamond suit with the same effect.)
It may seem obvious to respond 1D, bidding your four-card suits ‘up the line’. This is not a mistake, exactly, but if partner rebids 1NT you may have missed a 4-4 heart fit. If instead the bidding starts 1C — 1H — 1NT, it is less important that you may have missed a 4-4 diamond fit. Suppose you hold 13 points instead, with the same shape. Since you could bid again you would be more inclined to respond 1D.