As today's West, you lead the ten of spades against 3NT. Dummy has skinny values; you should have a chance to beat the contract. Dummy plays low, and East takes the ace and returns the deuce. South wins with the king and leads a low diamond.

HOW DO YOU DEFEND?

Take your time. Consider what you know or can infer. East has no more spades; he'd have played the jack or deuce at Trick One with A-J-2 and would have returned the seven with A-7-2. So South has three spade tricks and can surely run the hearts.

LOW DIAMOND

South wouldn't lead a low diamond if he had only the king. He might have Q-10-5, but if his diamonds are that weak, he must have the ace of clubs - and 3NT is unbeatable. Grab the ace of diamonds and lead the king of clubs and, when it wins, another club. East takes the ten and ace, and South is down one.

The actual West played "second hand low" on the diamond lead. When dummy's jack won, South cashed seven more tricks.

This week: killing defense.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S A 2 H 8 D 10 9 6 3 2 C A 10 6 4 3. Your partner opens one heart, you respond 1NT, he bids two diamonds and you raise to three diamonds. Partner next bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: If your partner had no interest in game, he'd have passed at three diamonds. If he had a minimum hand with six hearts, he'd have rebid two hearts. Your aces and fifth diamond are golden cards. Jump to five diamonds or cue-bid three spades.