BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are South, declarer in 3NT, against which West leads the ♥4. East plays the ♥A, and returns the ♥Q. Plan the play. This is an exercise in holding up. You can see the possibility of West holding five hearts and, if he also has the ♦A, you have no hope of making the contract.

There is, however, a 50-50 chance that East holds the ♦A and if, when he wins with it, he is unable to lead a heart, you will make your contract with two spades, one heart, three diamonds and four clubs.

You must therefore play the ♥10 at Trick Two, in the hope that the cards lie this way, and that you can exhaust East’s hearts before you tackle diamonds.