Here is another deal from Mike Lawrence’s “My Life With Bridge,” one that he remembers fondly this time.
After an old-fashioned auction, Lawrence led the club four. Declarer called for the jack from dummy, covered by the queen and ace. South crossed to the heart 10 and ran the diamond jack to the queen. Lawrence realized that clubs offered the best chance to set the contract, and he needed his partner to hold the club nine lest declarer finesse dummy’s eight. However, declarer must not have the singleton ace, given that he called for the jack from dummy at trick one. The only chance was that East had started with exactly Q-9. Even then, continuing with a low club would not suffice, because declarer could duck the trick to East, who would be unable to clear the suit. West’s long cards would wither on the vine.
So, Lawrence continued with the club 10 at trick four! Declarer naturally ducked in dummy to try to kill the enemy communications, but that meant Lawrence could keep the lead to clear clubs while he still held the diamond ace entry. Bravo.
No doubt declarer should have played low from dummy at trick one and then inserted the club jack on the second round. East would win with the queen, but the suit would once again be dead, and South would wind up with an overtrick.
As a side issue, declarer might even have tried leading a low diamond out of hand at trick two, to try to sneak past A-Q-x with West, the danger hand.