Samuel Lover, an Anglo-Irish novelist, songwriter and painter who died in 1868, said, "Circumstances are the rulers of the weak; they are but the instruments of the wise."

At the bridge table, various circumstances -- calls and plays -- can rule the weak because they do not draw the correct conclusions; they are the instruments of success for the wise.

In this deal, West leads the heart three against three no-trump. What should happen?

When responder holds nine points, he usually raises one no-trump to two no-trump. But this North hand is easily worth 10 points. It has an excellent five-card suit and great intermediates: three 10s, three nines and one eight.

When in no-trump, never start playing without counting your top tricks, your instant winners. Here, South starts with seven: one spade, one heart, one diamond and four clubs. Obviously at least three more tricks are available from dummy's diamonds. But if that finesse loses, might the opponents be able to cash too many winners?

What was the opening lead? The heart three. With how many hearts did West start? Often the answer would be four or five, but in this instance it must be four because the two is in the dummy. Therefore, if declarer wins the first trick and takes the diamond finesse, he cannot lose more than four tricks: one diamond and three hearts. Having said that, though, can it cost to duck trick one?

Yes! If East is in midseason form, he will immediately shift to the spade king. Then South will lose at least four major-suit tricks and the diamond king.

Copyright 2011, United Feature Syndicate