Andrew:

Look for extra tricks

You cannot make any extra tricks - over and above your top tricks - with any of these suits:

a)	♠ A 7 5 2	facing	♠ K 4
b)	♦ K Q 3	facing	♦ A 9 6
c)	♣ K 3	facing	♣ A Q 6 4

So (unless you are trying to get information about the shapes of the opposing hands to help you to play other more interesting suits), do not play on these suits. Not until much later, when the top tricks from these suits will bring you to your contract.
The following suits may look less appealing, but (say in a fiddly lNT contract), they represent far better suits to develop:

d)	♥ Q 10	facing	♥ J 9 3 2
e)	♠ J 8 6 3	facing	♠ 10 9

If you stay clear of these suits, you will make precisely no tricks from either. However look at their sequential nature (the key word).
(d). Using ♥ Q and ♥l0 to force out ♥ K and ♥ A, you will promote♥ J 9: regardless of which opponent holds ♥ A and ♥ K and regardless of the opposing split.

(e). Similarly, use ♠ 10 9, then ♠ J/♠ 8, to force out ♠ AKQ promoting one trick: regardless of which opponent holds ♠ AKQ and regardless of the split. An opponent could have ♠ AKQ7542 and you'd still make a trick.

Eventually. And that's the issue. These suits need time, for you have to lose the lead twice on (d) or thrice on (e). So start early.

South Deals
None Vul

♠	A 7 2
♥	A 8 2
♦	8 7 3
♣	J 9 5 2

♠	J 9 6 5
♥	K J 4
♦	J 10 9 6
♣	K 4

N
W		E
S

♠	Q 10
♥	Q 10 9 5
♦	5 4
♣	A Q 7 6 3

♠	K 8 4 3
♥	7 6 3
♦	A K Q 2
♣	10 8

West	North	East	South
			1 N
Pass	Pass	Pass

West led ♦ J - top of a sequence of three touching cards prioritising over fourth highest - and declarer won ♦ Q and counted six top tricks: ♠ AK, ♥ A and ♦ AKQ Yet to cash any one of those top tricks would see him be unable to make a seventh.

His very worst play would be (♥ 3 to) ♥ A -setting up the opposing hearts. ♦ AK would be next worst - for he knows from West leading the suit that the suit cannot be splitting 3-3. Spades could be splitting 3-3, in which case playing on spades would give him a seventh trick via a long card, but a 3-3 split occurs 36% of the time ie it's not very likely.

Clubs is the suit to broach - look at your four-card sequence. Any other play at trick two and down you go. Trick two goes ♣ 10, ♣ K, ♣ 2, ♣ 3. You win (say) ♦ 10 with ♦ K and lead ♣ 8 to East's ♣ Q You win his (say) ♥lO with ♥ A and lead ♣ J. Let East win ♣ A and the defence cash three hearts, for you can win any return, cross to ♠ A and enjoy promoted ♣ 9. Seven tricks.

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Andrew:

Look for extra tricks