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This week’s deals have focused on declarer’s play to the first trick — when the fate of the contract is often decided. To test yourself, cover today’s East-West cards. Against your 3NT, West, who overcalled one heart, vulnerable, leads the eight of hearts.

How do you proceed? Since we’re dealing with Trick One play, and dummy has only two cards from which to choose, you should go right.

Say South plays low from dummy to assure two heart tricks. He wins with the ten and starts the clubs. West wins and leads the king of hearts, pinning dummy’s queen and forcing out the ace. When West gets back in with his second high club, he takes three hearts for down one.

HIGH CLUB

South must play dummy’s queen on the first heart. When he leads a club next, West wins and leads the king of hearts, but South takes the ace and forces out West’s second high club. South still has the 10-6 of hearts for a stopper, so he is safe.

If East had a high club, the contract would be unmakeable.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ K 10 3 ♥ Q4 ♦ A84 ♣ Q 10 9 4 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond two clubs, he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s bidding suggests a minimum, distributional hand. He wants nothing to do with either game or notrump. Pass. He may have a hand such as 4 2, A K 7 6 2, J6 2, K J 8. To persist with 3NT, though you might survive on a lucky day, would be a breach of discipline. South dealer

Both sides vulnerable