How will you run that long suit?

Jill McCorkle, a short story writer and novelist, said, "You want to feel that your reader does identify with the characters, so that there's a real entry into the story - that some quality speaks to the individual."

I want to feel that my readers do identify with the bidding and play points of each deal. In today's example, how should South play in three no-trump after West leads the heart eight?

South was right to open one club despite only 11 high-card points; that excellent club suit was worth a couple more points. On the second round, South had to rebid two clubs; two hearts would have been a reverse promising some 17-20 points. North might have rebid three no-trump, but sensibly temporized with two diamonds, which was forcing for one round, in the hope that South could show three-card spade support.

South starts with six top tricks: one spade, two hearts, one diamond and two clubs. Another three winners can come from clubs, but if the break in that suit is bad, declarer might need a hand entry after driving out the club queen. What is that entry?

It has to be the heart king. So South must win the first trick with dummy's heart ace. Then he runs the club nine, which West should duck. But declarer continues clubs and must end with nine tricks: one spade, two hearts, one diamond and five clubs.

If, at trick one, South plays dummy's heart jack and wins with his king, he can lead a low club, but West should duck because he needs to cut off South from his hand.