LEARNING CENTER

2NT. Show your 18-19 balanced.

4. This is a key play. The reflex play of a high spade from dummy will lead to defeat.
You can play hearts next, but the opponents will hold off their A until the second round (using a count signal).
Now, how will you get back to dummy?
Dummy will have Q4 (or J4)opposite your Ax. No entry. 
You will get 2 spades, 1 heart and go down.

A. The reason you played low from dummy was to retain the QJ as a future entry. In order for that to work, you can't keep Ax in your hand.
Resist the temptation to win cheaply with the 9 (blocking the spades).

Win with the A so that you can make sure to have a later spade entry to dummy's hearts.

K or J. You must overtake your 10. If not, the opponents will allow it to win. You will be stuck in your hand and unable to develop and use the hearts.
If you correctly overtake, you are in the right hand to then drive out the A (if they are 5-1, so be it).
This is the full deal:

Once the A is gone, you will be able to take 4 heart tricks in total. You will later play spades (or the defense will play spades). You can reach dummy in spades and take at least 2 spades, 4 hearts and the AK-A in the minors for 9 tricks.

Click here to play Practice Deal #2.