BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

West ♠ J ♥ A K J 10 9 ♦ AKQ3 ♣ 10 6 3

East ♠ AQ8653 ♥ Q4 ♦ 96 ♣ 852

PLAYING teams, West is declarer in 4 ♥ . How do you plan the play after North cashes three top clubs, then switches to a trump? THIS is as easy as they come! You have nine certain tricks, and your only decision is which is the safest way to make the tenth.

You have a certain diamond loser and this can either be ruffed or discarded on dummy’s ♠ Q, if a finesse succeeds.

The f i nesse offers a 50- 50 chance, but the chance of diamonds breaking no worse than 5-2 is 94 per cent.

So you win the lead in hand and lead ♠ J, just in case North decides to cover; when he plays low, you rise with the ace and cash ♦ AK, followed by a ruff of the small diamond with ♥ Q.

Now, your only slight concern is that the trumps might break 5-1 (15 per cent).