#6 East West Vulnerable
South   West   North   East
   1♥        Pass       1♠       Pass
   2♣       Pass       2♥        AP
                                                North (dummy)
                                                ♠ Q 10 6 4 2
                                                ♥ 10 3
                                                ♦ 10 6 5 2
                                                ♣ K Q
                              West                                East
                              ♠                                        ♠ A K 7
                              ♥                                        ♥ Q 4
                              ♦ K                                    ♦ A 9 8
                              ♣                                       ♣ 9 8 7 4 2
                                                South (declarer)
                                                ♠
                                                ♥ 
                                                ♦ 3
                                                ♣
 
West leads the ♦K. E/W takes three diamond tricks. East cashed the ♠K and South follows with the ♠J. What is East’s plan?
 
As East, assuming the defense starts with three rounds of diamonds, South following, both defenders should assume South has 1-5-4-3 hand pattern with a singleton spade. After cashing ♥10 is led from dummy, kill that honor by covering. There is an excellent chance you will be promoting something for your partner. In this case, two tricks, the setting tricks. If you don’t cover, declarer runs the ♥10 and loses one trump trick. When partner has known length, you usually cover a lone honor in dummy with an honor of your own.
 
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