BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

YOU are South, declarer in 4 ♠ , and West leads ♦ K. Plan the play.

You have nine certain tricks and various options for your tenth. So the purpose of this problem is to evaluate which is the soundest.

The heart suit breaking 3-3 offers a 36 per cent chance and the club finesse is 50 per cent; however, you would be wrong to attempt the finesse, especially if you draw trumps first.

The near-100 per cent line is to go for the heart suit straightaway by playing ace and another; if West wins and switches to a club, you can afford to finesse, (and we assume it loses); you win the return and lead a third round of hearts noting that West shows out.

So, you haven’t been able to set up your fourth heart — but you can ruff it high, because you have been careful not to draw trumps.

The E-W hands are: West ♠ xxx ♥ Qx ♦ KQJx ♣ Jxxx. East ♠ x ♥ KJxx ♦ 10xxx ♣ Kxxx.