LEARNING CENTER

A (declarer plays the 6) and then the A.

Dummy's great clubs mean you are in cash-out aggressive mode.
You need to take tricks at once. If you return a heart and declarer has the king, declarer will likely take the next 12 tricks.

Better is to win the A and play the A to get a signal. We don't play ace from ace-king in the middle of a deal (for exactly this reason; you often need to lay down aces to try to cash out--it can't promise the king).

. The 7 is clearly readable as high/encouraging. (The 3-4-5 are all missing; if partner wanted to discourage, you wouldn't have seen the 7).

The full deal is below. You take the first 3 tricks for down 1.

Had partner led a spade, you would have done the same thing in reverse. You would have won the A and laid down the A. Partner would give you a discouraging heart (the 2 in standard) and you would go back to spades. Either way, logic and proper signalling will defeat the contract.

Please click here to play Practice Deal #2.