NEIL HAYWARD BRIDGE

WEST

♠ Q95

♥ K T 7 6 3 ♦ T976

♣ 3

NORTH

♠ A8 4 2

♥8

♦ A5

♣ AQ9 5 4 2

EAST

♠ J T 3

♥ Q9 5 2 ♦ K 3

♣ J 8 7 6

SOUTH

♠ K 7 6

♥ AJ 4

♦ QJ 8 4 2 ♣ K T Contract: 3NT by South

Opening Lead: ♥6. East plays the ♥Q. What is your plan?

Recommended Line: You see ten tricks, including a healthy haul of six clubs. So you win at trick one, and rattle off nine more tricks. Then something strange happens. As you are about to play yet another winning club, East puts a heart on the table. “It’s not your lead,” he says. And that is indeed true. You go down in a cold contract, losing a club and four hearts. Why the humiliation? You forgot to stop and think: “It looks easy. What could go wrong?” The answer is: East might hold four clubs, and a further heart lead from your right sinks the Titanic. Once you think about the problem, you can find the solution. Win at trick one, cross to the ♠A, and lead a club to the ♣T. West is welcome to win this trick, if he can, but your remaining heart holding is worth a further trick if West continues hearts. As it happens, your careful play produces an overtrick. The universe approves and has rewarded you accordingly. *