A Choice of Winners

Question

You need to make nine tricks in notrumps. Your opponents have led a heart, and you can win that first trick in either hand - with the ace in dummy, or the king in the South hand. Is one choice better than the other?

Try it in the context of the whole hand First, read the context notes below

You have only one trick each in clubs and diamonds, as well as two in hearts, so you need five tricks from your spade suit. You have to win the three top spade tricks in your hand, and then have a way to return to the dummy to cash the remaining two spade tricks. The ace of hearts is the only card that will allow you to win a trick in the dummy, so if you have used that on the first trick, your last two spade winners will be stranded. You will have no way to reach the North hand, and you cannot make nine tricks.

Your task is to make nine tricks with no trumps.Your opponents lead a small heart and you play the hand from that point on. Think carefully before you proceed!

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