NEIL HAYWARD BRIDGE

Opening Lead: ♠3. East plays the ♠A. How do you play the hand?

Recommended Line: You will win one spade trick. But this trick does not have to be won in hand. You can win in dummy, provided that you play the ♠K under the ♠A at trick one. If a further spade is led, and West plays low, you overtake your ♠T, and lead the ♣9. You need East to hold the ♣K. If you were to start with the ♣Q, East can limit you to three club tricks by not covering.

But you wrap up four club tricks by starting with the ♣9, and following with the ♣Q. West must find two discards. One heart and one spade will be the obvious choices. It is the spade discard that ensures the defenders can win just four tricks. What a highlight at trick one, incidentally! Sometimes, the king must fall.