BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

NOrTH opens 1 ♦ , over which you bid 1 ♠ and South bids 2NT raised to 3NT by North. West leads the ♠ 7 and dummy plays low. Plan the defence. iF WeST had held a spade honour he would not be leading the ♠ 7. Therefore, South holds the

♠ Q J x and you can’t afford to win the first trick to continue the suit or you will run West out of spades. He then won’t be able to lead them back to you, if he wins an early trick.

But you must be careful to play an encouraging spade — the ♠ 8, to assure West that you really do want another spade led to you.

if this happens and the ♠ A is held up again, you will be able to clear the suit while you still have an entry left.