If you make the same mistake over and over, at least you’re learning to do one thing really well. A common mistake I see in learning players is hasty play to the first trick.

Against today’s 3NT, West led the five of spades. East played the jack, and South won with the king and next led the jack of diamonds for a finesse. East took the king and returned his last spade, and West raced off four spade tricks. Down one.

FIRST SPADE

Declarer should have slowed down. His contract is at risk only if West has five spades headed by the A-10, and East has the king of diamonds. In that case, declarer succeeds by letting East’s jack win the first spade.

On the spade return (no shift is likely to trouble declarer), West can win and set up his spades, but he has no entry to cash them. If West had only four spades, he could duck the second spade to keep communication but would only hold declarer to nine tricks.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ? 9 4 2 ? K 9 ? A Q 9 8 4 ? A 10 4. You open one diamond, and your partner responds one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: I believe in raising a major-suit response with three-card support and a suitable hand but would not do so here. Your spade support is puny, and you have balanced pattern with honors in every other suit. Bid 1NT. I would unhesitatingly raise to two spades with a hand such as Q42,92,AQ984,A104.