BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You have reached 7♦ as West. How do you play after North leads ♣K? ThIS looks just too easy. You can count 13 straightforward tricks (five diamonds, four hearts, three spades and ♣A). So there must be a problem, and that is the more probable 4-2 break in hearts 48pc against 36pc on an even break.

We’ll assume that’s the case here, and there’s still no problem when you win the lead and play ♦A, noting that South shows out. You need spades to break no worse than 5-3, and we can also work on that assumption.

The simple solution is to use a ‘dummy reversal’ by ruffing two clubs in hand. Cash ♠AQ then play ♦Q and overtake with the king; ruff a club high, and play ♦4, finessing against North; ruff your second club with your last trump then return to dummy with ♥K, draw North’s trump and you have made the contract.