BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are West, declarer in 3NT, against which North leads ♦ 6. South wins with ♦ A and returns ♦ J. Plan the play. YoU have, of course, done your Rule of Eleven calculations, and know that you have now seen the only diamonds higher than the 6, that South can hold.

You’ve also counted your tricks, and see that you have three spades, a heart and five clubs. Even without the heart finesse that’s enough for your contract, if you can make them in time.

You know that north must hold ♦ K10 at the head of his suit.

What you’ve got to hope for, though, is that South’s ♦ AJ were doubleton, in which case, if you refuse to play your ♦ Q at trick two, the suit will be blocked. If he has a third diamond your contract is doomed anyway.

So you refuse to cover ♦ J with your ♦ Q — a hopeless play whatever the distribution. In the event, your virtue is rewarded, and when South leads a heart at trick three you go up smartly with the ♥ A, and take your nine tricks.