BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are South, declarer in 3NT, against which West leads the ♠ 10. Plan the play. You haven’t a hope of making this contract unless you plan before you start to play.

First, count your certain tricks, three spades, two hearts, one diamond and one club, a total of seven. So you need two more — the only suit they can come from is clubs. That, then, is the suit you must tackle first, and you keep fingers crossed and hope for a 3-2 club break.

You have an important bit of technique to bring in here, ducking. If clubs are going to break for you, all will be well, so lead a small club from dummy to the 10.

The defence will win and probably return a second spade. Win and play another low club. Now, if your hopes have been realised, you will gain the lead again in whichever suit is returned and still have a club to lead, thus coming to three club tricks.

Note that, if you play the ace on the first or second round of the suit, you will have no entry back to dummy, unless the opponents are helpful and put you there with a spade continuation, which would not be good defence.