BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are South, declarer in 3NT, against which West leads the ♥ 6. How would you plan the play and why? East wins the first trick with

♥ K and returns ♥ 7. By using the Rule of Eleven, you know that East has at least two hearts higher than the six which was led, and by the second trick, you have seen both of them. But the danger is that he has a third heart and that he will regain the lead if the ♦ K wins when you finesse, as you must.

you must ignore the old rule of splitting honours because West can duck. Play the ♥ 9 on the ♥ 7 return, and now you are sitting safely because, whether West wins and leads another heart to clear the suit or not, East won’t have another to lead. If you split your honours at trick two, and East then wins with the ♦ K, his third heart will come through your remaining ♥ Q9 to West’s ♥ A10x.