BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

THIS is the same hand as yesterday, and again you are South playing in 6 ♣ , this time in a Pairs event, West again leading a trump. how would you plan the play? AT PAIRS, making an overtrick can be allimportant, producing the difference between a top and a bottom on many occasions. So here you might be tempted to try to make all 13 tricks and not settle for the certain 12.

You have got to rely for this on two things, a 2-2 trump break and a 3-3 heart break. If one of these doesn’t come off you will have to fall back on the spade finesse.

Win the opening club lead in hand, play the king of hearts and then low to the ace, and ruff a heart high. enter dummy via the ♣ 10 and, if both opponents follow and hearts have broken 3-3, you are home and dry for 13 tricks.

Note, however, the extreme danger of this line of play, only to be used if you are desperately shooting for a top because if clubs don’t break and the spade finesse is wrong, you will have thrown away your contract as you will still have a losing diamond.