BRIDGE

PLAYING Pairs, can you make 5♣ after West leads ♥A? THIS looks so straightforward, even after ruffing the lead, then playing a trump and noting the bad break.

So why did most declarers fail? Not enough care in planning the play. The 11th trick must come from setting up diamonds. Some declarers just drew trumps and hoped for a 3-3 break (only 36 per cent chance); others catered for the more likely 4-2 break (48 per cent) and tried to ruff a diamond; but West ruffed in front of dummy, then put partner on lead with a spade to get another ruff or trump promotion.

The simple, but difficult-to-spot solution, is to play a spade at trick 3, severing communications (West has lost his second ruff).