#11 North/South Vulnerable
East  South West North
Pass   4♠       Pass    4NT
Pass   5♦       Pass    6♠
 
Opening lead: ♣K
North wins the ♣A
The ♠J is led from North
What’s East’s plan?
                                               
                                               North (dummy)
                                                ♠ J 3
                                                ♥ A K Q
                                                ♦ K Q J 7 3
                                                ♣ A 10 9
                       West                                                  East (you)
                        ♠                                                          ♠ Q 5
                         ♥                                                          ♥ 9 6 5 3 2  
                        ♦                                                          ♦ A 10
                        ♣ K                                                      ♣ 6 5 3 2  
                                               South (declarer)
                                                ♠
                                                ♥
                                                ♦
                                                ♣ 
 
As East, when the ♠J is led from dummy, most of us have been told to cover and honor with an honor – especially when holding a doubleton honor. But the real rule is: Cover an honor with an honor if you can promote something for yourself or your partner. You clearly cannot promote a trick for yourself and declarer showed 8 spades in the auction so there is nothing to promote in partner’s hand either. No promotion – no cover.
If you cover on this hand, your ♠Q crashes with partners ♠K under declarer’s ♠A! When you cannot promote anything for yourself, figuring out partner’s length is what it is all about. In most cases you want partner to have three or more cards to cover
 
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