BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

You are West, in a contract of 3NT, South having slipped in a bid of 2♥ on the way. North leads the ♥6, you play small in dummy, South wins with the ♥K and returns the ♥8 to dummy’s Queen, North dropping the ♥5. How do you plan the play from there?

There are two key cards here, the ♦A and the ♠K, one of which South is sure to have for his intervening bid, if not both.

Knock out the certain entry card first by going straight for diamonds.

Once that has gone you can always finesse spades; even if North can win with the ♠K, he will have no way to get his partner back on lead to make his established heart, or hearts.

If you make the mistake of taking the spade finesse first, North may have a heart left, and South will subsequently gain the lead with the ♦A.

When South has ♠K, you will pick it up when you take the finesse.