BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are West, declarer in 3NT (1 ♣ -1 ♥ ;1 ♠ -2 ♦ ; 3NT) and North leads ♦ 6 on which South plays the 10. How do you plan the play? WITH a combined 29HCPs, this deal looks easy enough to yield nine tricks — yet it is fraught with danger for declarer. If the finesse opportunities are wrong, the defence will set up at least two diamond tricks to defeat the contract.

The lead looks like fourth best and, if it is from a five-card suit, you must be sure to remove North’s entry before your ♦ A is knocked out. Your safe way of doing this is to lead a low spade to the knave at Trick Two and if North rises with the king, you have nine top tricks.

Let’s assume South wins with the king and returns a diamond, which you duck.

When you win the ♦ A and finesse the ♥ Q, you don’t mind if South wins, because he won’t be able to lead a diamond. Similarly, you can safely take the club finesse. If diamonds break 4-4, you have the additional chances of one of the black suits breaking.

Most declarers in practice succumbed to the tempting heart finesse and went down when South held ♠ xx ♥ Qxxx ♦ 10 x x ♣ Q 10 9 x.