Writing analysis for the Common Game gives me the opportunity to find new material for this column. This deal was played at clubs throughout the country in February:

Vul:None Dlr: South Deals	A8763 43 AQ 9865
J1052 AQ10862 8 J3		Q94 KJ97 K1095 102
	K 5 J76432 AKQ74

South deals, nobody vulnerable, and opens 1 (his longer, not stronger suit). West definitely should preempt with 2 (don't let that side so-so 4-card spade suit deter you). North bids 2 (one-round force, but not GF). East could "Follow the LAW" and aggressively raise to the 10-trick level (4), but might rein it in with so many defensive cards in the opponents' suits. If he does bid 4, South doesn't really have enough to bid 5 on his own. Likely it would get passed around to North who, with two aces, would double. South, with extra shape now pulls to 5 and plays it there.

West leads his singleton (tip: When a player preempts and leads a side suit, it is usually a singleton). Accordingly, declarer should win the A and draw trump. When they are 2-2, greed might sit in. Suppose declarer unblocks his K and crosses to dummy with a trump. He plays the A to throw a heart and now leads the Q in an attempt to make 6.

East wins (more on that in a moment) and plays a heart. Declarer can trump and then ruff a diamond, establishing his suit and claiming 12 tricks.

However, East, with a good idea of what is going on, should refuse to win his K. Now what? Declarer pays for his greed and goes down. He can trump something to hand and trump a diamond in dummy with the last trump. But he remains with Jxx and the K is still out. He loses control and ends up down one. Try it. Well (try laying it out if you don't see, but don't try for the overtrick against an East player good enough to refuse to take his K).