BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

SOUTH plays in the hopeless contract of 7NT, doubled by East, and West at least makes a helpful lead of ♦ 2. Is there any chance of success? NOT really, unless the defence are asleep or don’t have an accurate method of signalling. east has obviously got the ♣ a and if he also has the ♠ K there is a slight chance that he will guess wrong with his discard at Trick 12.

So you play off all your diamond winners, six of your heart winners, and the ♠ a. at this point, you know that east will be holding ♠ K and ♣ a, leaving the two black queens in dummy, and on the last heart you discard dummy’s ♣ Q.

Now east has to work out whether you might have a little spade left or ♣ K.

With the ♠ Q tempting him in dummy, he guessed wrongly!