Hunters Hill Bridge Club Inc.

How do you play
A K 8 opposite J 10 7 6 5 3 ?

Here is a hand from the New Zealand National Congress last week as reported in one of the bulletins.

	JT832 Q984 4 KJ8
Q7 AK532 AK8 743		A 6 JT7653 AT965
	K9654 JT7 Q92 Q2

West was in 3NT and received as heart lead. There are four top tricks outside diamonds, so only five tricks in diamonds are required. How should the diamonds be played?
Declarer played the Ace of diamonds followed by the eight!
South took the Queen and returned a spade. Now it's easy - a diamond to the King, Ace of hearts, a club to the Ace and three more diamonds makes 9 tricks.
Now consider what happens if declarer plays Ace of diamonds then King of diamonds then the eight. When the spade is returned, the position is:

	JT8 Q9 KJ8
Q A532 743		JT7 AT965
	K965 J7 Q2

Declarer can take his diamonds but has no access to the Ace of hearts and will go one down.
Declarer could afford to lose a diamond but he couldn't afford to lose the third one.