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Bridge 7/26
You must choose which suit to play
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    Jean Nidetch, the founder of Weight Watchers, wrote, "It's choice — not chance — that determines your destiny."
    In this deal, you are in three no-trump. West leads a spade because his partner overcalled in the suit. On which suit, and how, should you play to make success destined?
    Your negative double on the first round showed four hearts (or five or six if your hand was too weak for a two-heart response).
    You have six top tricks: two spades (given the lead), two diamonds and two clubs. You can get two tricks from hearts and two more from diamonds. But which red suit should you play on first?
    If you establish the diamonds immediately, you will lose one trick there. Then the defense will knock out your second spade stopper. And because you still need a heart trick, when you play that suit, East will win with his ace (he surely has it for his overcall) and cash three spade tricks to defeat you.
    So, you must play on hearts first. If, though, you lead a heart to dummy's king, East will win with his ace and return a spade. Then, when you lose a diamond trick, the defense will run the spades.
    Instead, play a diamond to dummy's king, then call for the heart five. How does East defend?
    If he plays low, you win with your queen and duck a diamond, getting home with two spades, one heart, four diamonds and two clubs. If East wins with his ace, you have nine tricks via two spades, three hearts, two diamonds and two clubs.
    By any chance, was your choice hearts?
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