Deal 4	♠ K Q 7 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣ Q J 5		WEST   NORTH   EAST   SOUTH 1♦ pass 2NT pass 3♦ pass 5♦ pass pass pass South is to play 5♦. West leads the ♣10. You play dummy's ♣J and East puts on the ♣K. Make a Plan, then click NEXT .
	♠ 8 ♥ K Q 5 ♦ K J 9 8 5 2 ♣ A 6 2

 

Deal 4 5♦ OL: ♣10	♠ K Q 7 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣ Q J 5		South is to play 5♦. West leads the ♣10. You play dummy's ♣J and East puts on the ♣K. Losers:   ♠ = 1   ♥ = 0   ♦ = 1   ♣ = 1   Total = 3 The ♠ loser and ♦ loser are "fast" losers, meaning your opponents can take them whenever they are in the lead. The ♣ loser is a "slow" loser, meaning you might have some time to dispose of it. But here is the problem. If you start to draw trumps, a defender will take the ♦A and play another ♣, forcing out your ♣Q. Then, when you play a ♠ they will jump in with the ♠A and take their ♣ trick. Anything you can think of to do about that?  NEXT
	♠ 8 ♥ K Q 5 ♦ K J 9 8 5 2 ♣ A 6 2

 

Deal 4 5♦ OL: ♣10	♠ K Q 7 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣ Q J 5		South is to play 5♦. West leads the ♣10. You play dummy's ♣J and East puts on the ♣K. Losers:   ♠ = 1   ♥ = 0   ♦ = 1   ♣ = 1   Total = 3 The ♠ loser and ♦ loser are "fast" losers, meaning your opponents can take them whenever they are in the lead. The ♣ loser is a "slow" loser, meaning you might have some time to dispose of it. But here is the problem. If you start to draw trumps, a defender will take the ♦A and play another ♣, forcing out your ♣Q. Then, when you play a ♠ they will jump in with the ♠A and take their ♣ trick. Anything you can think of to do about that? Once you recognize the problem, the solution is easier to see. Don't play trumps next! Instead, win the first trick and immediately play your ♠ toward dummy's ♠ K Q. A defender will probably take this trick but you don't care. They will play another ♣ to try to set up a trick in the suit but you can win the ♣, enter dummy with the ♥A, and discard your "slow" ♣ loser on dummy's good ♠ honor. And then, with that important job done, you can lead trumps.  NEXT for the full deal.
	♠ 8 ♥ K Q 5 ♦ K J 9 8 5 2 ♣ A 6 2

 

Deal 4 5♦ OL: ♣10	♠ K Q 7 ♥ A 6 3 ♦ Q 10 6 4 ♣ Q J 5		Bridge is a game of timing, and sometimes the tempo of the game is set by the opening lead. Suppose West's opening lead was a ♠, a ♥ or a ♦. You would have still had the same 3 losers, but now the ♣ loser would have been "very slow". So slow that you could start on trumps before working on the ♠s. In other words, with one of these opening leads a mediocre player, one who had never read this lesson, would probably make the contract without any trouble. But with the ♣ lead only a skilled declarer would make it!  Deal 5
♠ J 6 5 2 ♥ 10 8 4 ♦ A 3 ♣ 10 9 8 3		♠ A 10 9 4 3 ♥ J 9 7 2 ♦ 7 ♣ K 7 4
	♠ 8 ♥ K Q 5 ♦ K J 9 8 5 2 ♣ A 6 2