TAKE CARE DECLARING SLIPPERY ROAD AHEAD

When you have an honor blowing in the wind -- for example, kingdoubleton opposite only low cards -- you must try to keep off play the defender who can lead through your unprotected honor. In today's deal, South would like to stop East from winning a trick.

South is in five clubs. After West leads the diamond king, how should South steer?

North's redouble showed at least 10 high-card points. South might have bid two clubs over one spade, but experts play that that rebid indicates a bare minimum opening. Then, yes, South might have plunged into three no-trump, hoping to take nine tricks via seven clubs, the heart ace and either the spade king (if West led that suit) or another trick in partner's hand (if West tried elsewhere).

South knows from the bidding that West probably has the spade ace. If so, there is a risk that declarer will lose one heart and two spades. Unless East unexpectedly has the spade ace, South needs to find hearts 3-3. But if East gets the lead in hearts and shifts to a spade, the contract will crash.

How can declarer establish the 13th heart while guaranteeing that East never gets the lead?

He lets West win the first trick! South wins the second diamond, discarding a heart from his hand, draws trumps, takes the heart ace-king and ruffs a heart in his hand. When they break 3-3, declarer returns to the dummy with a trump and discards a spade on the last heart.

Afterward, West said that next time he would lead a low diamond!