983
                                          J7
                                          K732
                                          J875
        105                                                           KJ7642
        Q962                                                        K54
        J9                                                             64
        A10432                                                    K6

                                         AQ
                                         A1083
                                         AQ1085
                                         Q9

Lead the spade 10.  When the hand was played, West led the Club 3.  East won with the King but as you can see, there was no defensive continuation that would defeat the contract.  As it happened, East returned a spade but South's finesse of the Queen won and it was easy for South to continue the the Club Queen.  Dummy's Club Jack provided the ninth trick.

West explained that he had been listening to the bidding and realised that South must have spades well under control to have leaped to 3N.  Thus, West led a club, hoping this would defeat the contract.  There are a few problems with this approach.  For, for a club to work, West must find East with a reasonable club holding in clubs and the suit must not be blocked.  That is,, should declarer have a club stopper, East must have a third Club to be able to return one, otherwise, West's clubs will be of no value as West has no certain entry.

If West had been listening carefully, he would have heard East make an overcall at the two level.  An overcall is one of the most powerful lead directing bids in bridge.  Believe your Partner, not the opposition!.  Note that a spade lead will defeat the contract., as long as the defence is careful!  Should South play on clubs, West must win the first club and return a spade, in order to preserve partner's entry.  If South plays on hearts instead and leads the Jack from Dummy after getting there with the King of diamonds, East must cover this card, otherwise South will have two heart tricks to go with the two spades and five diamonds (the diamond 7 will provide a second entry to play a second heart through.

Still you did all those things didn't you!!

Clive Keep July  2003