BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are West, playing in 6NT, doubled by North (who had also doubled your 5 ♥ cue-bid during the auction). Plan the play after North leads ♦ 8. IT IS very wise advice that you should never double slams, just because you have a few points — as North found out to his cost on this deal!

Declarer knows immediately where the key values are, and will adjust his play accordingly. Instead perhaps of playing for split club honours, you will plan to squeeze North as follows:

Win the lead in dummy and play a low club to the king, which North wins, or you simply end play him in hearts. You win the next diamond lead in hand, then cash ♠ KQ, ♥ A! and ♠ A, before overtaking ♦ K with dummy’s ace and running the suit. Dummy’s last cards are ♥ Q,

♦ x, ♣ x and yours are ♠ x, ♣ Q10. You are assuming that North is left with ♥ K, and ♣ Jx. When you play dummy’s last diamond, discarding your spade, North is squeezed. he can’t release

♥ K, so must discard a club and your ♣ Q next drops his knave.

North held: ♠ Jx, ♥ KJxxx ♦ xx ♣ AJxx — and you would have had no hope without the helpful double.