Lane Olinghouse said, "Those who flee temptation generally leave a forwarding address."

If you can flee the temptation on this deal and are looking for a new partner, leave a forwarding address. How should South play in three no-trump after West leads a low heart and East puts up the jack?

North's jump to three no-trump is sensible unless he is using transfers to the minors. Then, he would respond two no-trump, a transfer to diamonds, and rebid three hearts to show his singleton. (For full details, go to www.phillipalderbridge.com.) But if North-South do not use transfers to the minors, it is sensible to respond three no-trump; or to jump to three diamonds (if natural and forcing); or to respond two clubs, then to rebid three diamonds (if an immediate three-diamond response would be a "drop dead" signoff). It is very tempting to take the first trick and to run the diamond queen. Here, though, East wins with his king and returns a heart, giving West four tricks in the suit for down one.

South starts with eight top tricks: four spades, one heart (given the first trick), one diamond and two clubs. He needs only one more winner. And the best approach is to go after a third club trick. First, it is highly likely to succeed -- 77.6 percent of the time. Second, if West gets on lead, he cannot profitably play another heart.

The correct line is to lead a spade to the dummy, then to run the club nine. Suppose West wins with his queen and shifts to a diamond. Declarer takes dummy's ace, plays a club to his ace, returns to dummy with a spade, and leads the last club, finessing when East plays low.

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