William James, who, inter alia, was the first academician to offer a psychology course in the United States, said, “To study the abnormal is the best way of understanding the normal.”

That is a great guideline for bridge. It is the abnormal that has kept the game alive. Today, South is in three notrump. West leads a fourthhighest heart seven. East wins with his ace and returns the heart nine. How should declarer continue?

You try to avoid rebidding immediately in a five-card suit, but two clubs is South’s best rebid. He cannot bid two hearts, because that would be a reverse promising some 17-20 points. Instead, one no-trump is possible, but debatable with two low diamonds. When North rebids two diamonds, which is forcing for one round, South continues with two no-trump, and North raises.

South starts with seven top tricks: one spade, one heart, three diamonds and two clubs. He can get two more winners from clubs, but might first lose four hearts and one club. What is the solution?

If declarer plays either his heart five or jack on East’s nine, he will win the third or fourth heart with his king. Then he will have to turn to clubs, but here West will get in with his queen and cash the rest of the hearts for down one.

Instead of making the normal holdup play, South should do the abnormal by winning the second heart with his king. Then he crosses to dummy with a diamond and runs the club nine. Yes, the finesse loses, but West cannot cash his hearts, because declarer still has the jack-five.