BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

Here, counting your losers is more important than your winners, because that should determine your line of play. you have a certain loser in each side suit. So success seems to depend on a winning trump finesse. That is a reasonable analysis for a beginner learning to play as declarer.

The next stage of advancement is to study whether you have alternative plays available before taking the 50-50 finesse. Would it help for example, if north held ♠K? Of course, it would!

So, instead of winning the lead with ♦A and playing ♥Q with fingers crossed, you win in hand with ♦K and play ♠3. north, with the king, will be ‘fixed’; either he ducks, and you have removed your spade loser; or he rises, thus establishing the queen and enabling a diamond discard subsequently on ♠A.

if this play fails, with South winning, it has cost you nothing. you can still revert to your original option of the trump finesse. you have merely given yourself an added chance of success, but note that if you take the finesse first and it fails, you will be doomed. in fact, north holds: ♠Kxx ♥Kxx ♦QJ10x ♣Jxx.