Glenn Close said, “I love the chemistry that can be created on stage between the actors and the audience. It’s molecular even, the energies that can go back and forth.”

I like to sit in the front row of a theater to experience the chemistry between the actors.

In bridge, declarers need to concentrate on going back and forth between their hand and the board. How is that important in this deal? South is in four spades. How should he play after West leads the heart queen? As a secondary issue, what was West’s better opening lead?

In the auction, East was tempted to intervene with two no-trump to show at least 5-5 in the minors, but the vulnerability was unfavorable, his hand was not that good, and the opponents owned the spade suit. (Note that five diamonds doubled costs 800 if South gets a club ruff.)

South should play to ruff his diamond losers on the board. But where should he take the first trick?

Suppose the play starts heart queen to the ace, diamond ace, diamond ruff. What happens next? Declarer can play a club, but East can win and shift to his trump.

South must take the first trick on the board, play a diamond to his ace, ruff a diamond, lead a heart to his ace, ruff his second diamond, and run the spade jack. Then everything is under control.

If West leads the club six, and East shifts to a spade, that defeats the contract. If South wins with his spade ace and ruffs both diamond losers, he will eventually concede two spades, one heart and one club.