BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You play as South in 3NT and West leads ♠ K, which you duck, and he continues with ♠ Q, to which East follows. Plan your play.

With a combined 30 points it looks as if you should make 10 or 12 tricks, but then you realise you have no entry to dummy. You start correctly by ducking the first lead (Rule of Seven), which enables you to establish that spades break no worse than 5-2. Win the ♠ Q and cash your six red suit winners; then exit with ♠ 10, which you assume West wins. After cashing one or two more spades, West will be forced to play a heart, or lead up to your ♣ AQ. Note how critical it is to win the second spade, or you will have lost your safe exit card.