Neither vulnerable. West deals.

Neither vulnerable. West deals.
NORTH
K J 10 4
6 4
J 8 4 3
K 4 3
WEST EAST
5 2 Q 7 6
8 A 10 7 2
K 6 5 A Q 7
A J 10 9 6 5 2 Q 8 7
SOUTH
A 9 8 3
K Q J 9 5 3
10 9 2
Void
The bidding:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
3 Pass 3NT 4
Pass Pass Pass
Opening lead: Ace of
Zia Mahmood, the peripatetic Pakistani now a resident of London and New York, and one of the world's great bridge players, has a simple rule when declaring after an opposing pre-empt: "Since most three-level pre-empts contain a singleton, if the pre-emptor leads another suit, it is a singleton; if he leads his own suit, his singleton is in trumps." Consider this deal, where declarer was a many-time international champion.
Not the world's greatest contract, but prospects improved after the lead of the ace of clubs. Declarer ruffed, entered dummy with the king of spades and discarded a diamond on the king of clubs. He led a heart to the king and continued with the queen. When West showed out, the contract could no longer be made and declarer ended up down two.
Now let's apply Zia's rule. Since West would surely have led a singleton rather than the ace of clubs if he held one in a plain suit, he most likely holds only one heart. That suggests a line of play. After taking a diamond discard at trick two, declarer should run the jack of spades. If it wins, declarer should continue by leading a low heart, finessing the nine. (With four missing trumps and the ace, odds are 3-to-1 the singleton won't be the ten.)
When that holds, force out the ace of hearts. Win any return, draw any outstanding trumps, cash the ace of spades to drop the queen and you are home. You lose only two diamonds and the ace of trumps!
This column is written by Tannah Hirsch and Omar Sharif. For information about Charles Goren's newsletter for bridge players, call (800) 788-1225 or write Goren Bridge Letter, P.O. Box 4410, Chicago, Ill. 60680
& copy; 2006 Tribune Media Services
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