BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

YOU are South, declarer in 6♠, and West leads ♠10. Plan the play, assuming trumps break 3-1. THERE is no sure way of making the contract, but there is a correct line of play to follow here. I mention frequently that one should never take a finesse in these situations before other alternatives such as squeeze, endplay, or suit establishment have been considered. If you finesse in diamonds here and it loses, what do you do when a heart is led — and even if the finesse holds, you are no better off?

So, you must try to set up diamonds for a heart discard. Remember the play of suit combinations; you cash ♦A, and lead low to the queen; if East puts up the king, your problems are solved; if he doesn’t, and the suit doesn’t break, you can finally fall back on the heart finesse. Of course, you must first draw trumps and eliminate clubs, before you embark on diamonds.