Declarer is sometimes faced with a choice of two seemingly equal lines of play. If the opposing cards are divided one way, declarer should choose one approach, while if the opposing cards are divided differently, he should adopt another.

Such problems are seldom decided by the mental toss of a coin. There is nearly always some clue to point declarer in the right direction.

Consider this deal where West leads a heart against South’s four-spade contract. East plays the Q-K-A of hearts, declarer ruffing the third round. South must now decide how to continue.

One possibility is to cross to dummy with a trump, lead the queen of clubs and finesse. In the actual deal, West wins with the king, and declarer can no longer make the contract since he must still lose a diamond trick.

Alternatively, South can play the ace and another club at tricks four and five, after which the contract cannot be defeated as the cards lie. If West takes the king and, say, returns a trump, declarer wins, draws trump ending in dummy and discards his two diamond losers on the Q-J of clubs.

If West does not take the club king, South then plays the A-K and another diamond to ensure 10 tricks, ruffing his fourth diamond in dummy before drawing trump.

Declarer’s choice therefore boils down to who he thinks has the king of clubs. If East has it, South should finesse, while if West has it, declarer should play the ace and another club.

Tomorrow >> Famous Hand.

— Steve Becker