NEIL HAYWARD BRIDGE

Contract: 6NT by South.

Opening Lead: ♥Q. What is your plan?

Recommended Line: Don’t count your chickens, they always say. Here, an optimistic declarer will “see” five diamond tricks, giving eleven tricks in all. The spade finesse, win or lose, adds a twelfth. Of course, this up-beat assessment totally ignores the possibility of a foul diamond break. Since players are encouraged to tackle their long suit first in no trumps, many will play the top diamonds, expecting a 2-2 break as if it is their right. However, you need to tackle spades first. If the suit provides three tricks, and the diamonds are not everything they are cracked up to be, you will know you need only four diamond tricks. So, win in hand at trick one, and finesse in spades. If this works, return to hand in clubs, and finesse again in spades. If both finesses win, you can ensure four diamond tricks by leading small, and covering cheaply if a small card appears. This is an insurance against a bad diamond break. Here, you lead the ♦2, East plays the ♦3, and you cover with the ♦4. What a coup!