Author Stephen Covey says that people need to focus on what's important, not on what's urgent. But what's important to declarer may be a matter of urgency.

West led the queen of diamonds against four hearts, threatening South with a diamond loser. If South led a trump at Trick Two, the defenders would set up their diamond trick. Getting a fast discard was urgent, so South took the ace of diamonds and led a spade to his queen.

West won and led another diamond, and South won and led the A-J of spades. West ruffed low; if he ruffed with the king, dummy would discard the losing diamond.

FOURTH SPADE

South overruffed, came to his ace of clubs and led a fourth spade. West threw a club, and dummy ruffed. South then ruffed a club and led his good fifth spade. West still couldn't gain by ruffing, so South got rid of dummy's last diamond. East ruffed and led a diamond.

Dummy ruffed and led a trump, and a mighty crash ensued. The top trumps fell as one, and South made his game.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S K 5 H K 7 D Q J 10 9 C Q 7 6 4 3. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two clubs, he bids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three clubs. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner's sequence is forcing; his second bid of two hearts did not limit his strength, and his hand may be strong. (If partner had instead rebid two spades, his bid of three clubs would not be forcing.) Since you have solid diamond stoppers and weak clubs, bid 3NT.