DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

This week’s deals have treated correct timing by declarer: playing the cards in the proper order. To test your timing, cover the EastWest cards. Against your 3NT, West leads a spade; dummy’s king wins. How do you proceed?

You have material for nine tricks: four clubs, at least two diamonds, two spades and a heart. Any problems? Well, if West wins an early trick and shifts to a heart, and East has the king and jack, the defense may set up five tricks before you have nine. But if East gets in early, you won’t mind.

Lead a club to your hand and then a low diamond toward dummy. If West played low, and East captured dummy’s jack and returned a spade, fine: You would have nine tricks.

As it is, West has the king of diamonds, but if he takes it, you have three diamonds and nine tricks in all. If he ducks, dummy’s jack wins, and you force out the ace of spades for nine tricks.

Work out what may happen if you lead a diamond from dummy to your queen at Trick Two.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ KQJ ♥ Q104 ◆ J 62 ♣K J 7 5. You are the dealer. What is your opening call?

ANSWER: In the formative days of bridge, players counted “honor tricks,” and this hand would not have been worth opening. Counting high-card points has taken over, and most players would open with this barren assortment. But the hand lacks defensive values and playing tricks. I fear I would open one club.