KJ4
                                          J98742
                                          J9
                                          A4
        87652                                                      Q3
        -                                                               AK
        A754                                                       8632
        K873                                                       J10962

                                         A109
                                         Q10653
                                         KQ10
                                         Q5

Contract 4 Hearts, opening lead the 8 of spades:

South was elated as he called for a small spade from dummy.  With that free finesse he envisioned game and rubber!.  South took East's Queen with his Ace - with an even trump break, he could score an overtrick!

A diamond was led to prepare for a club discard from dummy but West ducked.  A second diamond went to West's Ace and a second spade went to dummy's Jack.  South then led a trump to East's King sand the Jack of Clubs came whistling through.  Now there was no escape.  The defenders took a club, a diamond and two hearts - down one!.

How does South avoid his bad luck?  By assuring himself of a delayed spade entry.  At trick one, he should play dummy's Jack of spades instead of the four.  East covers and South wins, but now he has a second spade entry for his play of a third diamomd to throw dummy's club.
 
 
 

Clive Keep February  2004