DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

This week’s deals have treated declarer’s play to Trick One — which often decides a contract’s fate.

Against 3NT, West leads the queen of spades. Cover the East-West cards and plan your play. (Your first play may be make-orbreak.)

Since the missing clubs may well break 4-2, you can’t safely plan to overtake your jack with dummy’s queen.

Suppose you take the king of spades, unblock your A-K-J of clubs and lead a heart to dummy’s jack. Then you can score the queen of clubs, but when you continue with the ten of hearts, West ducks. You can’t get a third heart trick and will be held to eight tricks.

Plan before you play to the first trick. Then win with the ace of spades, unblock your high clubs and lead a heart to the jack. After you score dummy’s queen of clubs, you continue hearts. West wins the third heart, but you can win the spade return in your hand and take your last heart.

If West had a crystal ball, he could have beaten 3NT with a diamond lead. DAILY QUESTION You hold: S A 9 4 H J

10 5 D K J 4 C Q 7 6 3. The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner doubles, and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner promises opening values or more with support for the unbid suits (or perhaps a strong hand with a long suit of his own). Since you have 11 points, game is quite possible, especially since you will know where most of the missing high cards lie. Jump to 2NT to invite game.