BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

This week’s theme is the planning of No-Trump contracts. here you are West, declarer in 3NT, against which North leads the ♥Q. What is your best chance of making your contract? First count your certain tricks. three spades, two hearts and two diamonds make seven, so you need two more. Even if you get a 3-3 heart break you will still need at least one club trick.

Your best plan is to aim at getting both your extra tricks from clubs.

Duck the first diamond lead in case North started with a five-card suit, and hoping that the missing club honours are divided. Win the second diamond lead and play a club.

if south wins, he will, you hope, be unable to return a diamond, and whatever he leads you’ll win and lead another club.

if south can return a third diamond the suit was divided 4-3, so you will only lose two diamonds and two clubs, whoever has the second top club.