BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

West plays in 3Nt. North leads the ♥ 5. Dummy’s Queen is not covered by south. What is West’s sure way to make his contract?

West has five spades and two hearts for sure, so needs only two tricks in addition. One might think the obvious line was to go for clubs, but there is a safer way to make nine tricks without risking a bad club distribution.

West should leave the lead in dummy, and immediately lead the ♦ 4. If south goes up with the ♦ A in order to lead a heart back to North, West has his two extra tricks established. If North has the ♦ A, he can’t lead another heart without giving declarer an extra trick, and any switch leaves West with the ‘tempo’.

If West’s ♦ K wins trick two, he must immediately lead a low club and, whether the suit breaks well or not, he will establish his ninth trick that way.