10 6 3 K 10 4 2 2 A J 9 6 3
	A Q J 4 9 8 7 A Q 7 4 K Q

W	N	E	S
P	P	1	1NT
P	2	P	2
P	2NT	P	3NT
P	P	P

East plays the 9 on the first trick and I win with the Queen. It looks as though I should be able to take 5 clubs, 2 diamonds and 3 or 4 spades depending on the spade break and whether the finesse works. But it’s not so simple as that. East is a favorite to hold the K, given her opening bid, but entries are a problem. I have no dummy entry unless I overtake a club, and then I take only three club tricks unless clubs are 3-3. I won’t be able to repeat the spade finesse and if I lead the 10 and East covers I might take only three spades and wind up a trick short. (I presume East has the A also.)

If only I had a dummy entry, I could guarantee at least 4 clubs, 3 spades and 2 diamonds. I know! I’ll create one.

At trick two, I lead the Q. If East takes the King the contract is on ice, since East can’t attack hearts. And sure enough, she does! She leads back a diamond, and I take my Ace. I cash the KQ. East discards a spade on the second club! So clubs are 5-1 and overtaking a club would not have worked out. I cross to the 10, which is now an entry, and cash the AJ, and finally come back to the AJ to make my contract.

The tip here is that when you’re desperate for an entry, it may pay to play a suit in an unusual way, as by leading out the Q here.

The full hand was:

	10 6 3 K 10 4 2 2 A J 9 6 3
8 2 J 5 3 8 6 3 10 8 7 5 2		K 9 7 5 A Q 6 K J 10 9 5 4
	A Q J 4 9 8 7 A Q 7 4 K Q

P.S.: A detailed post-mortem shows that declarer can always make the contract. It looks as though East can defeat declarer by holding up in spades, but in fact, even if declarer just goes after the clubs right away, overtaking the Queen with the Ace, East is squeezed in three suits on the next club lead! Still, the play is not so easy for declarer if East discards a diamond, and we did get 12.5 matchpoints out of 17 (73%), so my little trick was worth something.

[Alexandria Regional, 6-30-2004]