BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

PLAYING Pairs, you are West in 3NT and North leads ♥ 3, which South wins and plays back ♥ 2. Plan the play. AGAIn, there are nine certain tricks once the

♦ A has been knocked out. nevertheless, there are sure to be several minus scores on the traveller, due to that irresistible urge to make an overtrick.

It should not be tempting to take the heart finesse, because north’s lead marks him with the queen. If he is allowed to win it at Trick Two, he could then switch to a spade and, if the king is offside, you will go down.

It is always wrong to take a losing finesse against the queen, when it is known to be offside. You will remember my other recent similar example, when LhO leads low from Qxx to his partner’s bid suit, won by the ace and the suit returned. On that occasion, you needed to play the king in order to block the suit.