What's the hurry?

I played bridge at the club last night in an Eight is Enough Swiss Team game. There were 17 teams and the game happened to be a STaC. In Eight is Enough, two good players can play with two newcomers, four intermediate players play together, or there can be lesser combinations. The concept, developed by Mary Oshlag, provides a platform in which good players and lesser players intermingle to form teams. As a result, the same teams don't win every time. which otherwise is often the case.

The first round we played against a local teacher/pro playing with a student. The student was declarer on this deal (low spots approximate):

                ♠ Q 8 6 5
                ♥ K 3
                ♦ Q 9 7 3 2
                ♣ A 9 6 5
-
                ♠ A K 7
                ♥ A J 9 6 4 2
                ♦ K
                ♣ 8 7 4
-
       North          South
                      1♥
       1♠            2♥     
       3♥            4♥
       Pass

West led the ♣J. The student won the ace as East encouraged with the 2 (upside down signals). Declarer led a diamond to his king. West won this and returned the ♣3 to East's 10. East cashed the ♣ K and continued with the ♣Q. Declarer ruffed with the ♥9, which was overruffed with the queen for down one and minus 10 IMPs.

Here are all four hands:

                ♠ Q 8 6 5
                ♥ K 3
                ♦ Q 9 7 3 2
                ♣ A 9 6 5
♠ J 4 3                       ♠ 10 9 2
♥ Q 8 7                       ♥ 10 5
♦ A J 8 5 4                   ♦ 10 6
♣ J 3                         ♣ K Q 10 2
                ♠ A K 7
                ♥ A J 9 6 4 2
                ♦ 5 2
                ♣ 8 7 4

You can see that The student could have won the opening lead and played the ♥A K, giving up on the finesse. Then he could have cashed the ♠ A K, and led another to the queen. When the suit divided 3-3, he could discard a loser and make his contract.

I don't think this is the best way to play, but why not duck the first club? It will seldom be wrong, and turns out to be right on this hand. After ducking, declarer can play a diamond to his king, or he can finesse the heart, or do just about anything yet still make his contract.

A simple play like this is what separates the top player from the newcomer or intermediate player. It gives you an extra chance, which happens to work this time.