This hand from WCBU pairs on Thursday 15^th April 2021 illustrates two declarer techniques we should all bear in mind. The contract is 2D played by North and the lead is 5S.

On the first trick, West plays KS and North AS. The first thing North need to try to do is keep West off lead so they can’t lead a spade through your JS. Secondly, whenever we see an AQJ sitting in dummy, our immediate instinct is to finesse but it’s no good if you can’t repeat the finesse because you only have a singleton.

In this case, the answer to both these problems is to play a heart to the A, then lead QH. If West covers, you ruff, if not, you discard a spade. If East wins the ruffing finesse they can only make one more spade trick.