BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

PLayING Pairs, you have contrived to reach 6 ♣ instead of the much sounder game in No Trumps. Do you have any chance after West leads ♣ 7? I AM an advocate always of leading an ace against suit slams whenever possible, unless there is a clear indicator that declarer may be void in the suit.

had West followed this principle and led ♦ A, the contract would have been doomed, with an inescapable heart loser.

As it is, he has presented you with the contract — if you remember how to execute a strip squeeze! West is the hand to be squeezed and, as usual, you need to strip him of all his spare cards in preparation for the killer punch.

So presumably your five-card ending will be the same as mine tomorrow.