BRIDGE MASTERCLASS

YOU are South, playing in 4♥, and West leads ♦K. Plan the play.

THIS is very easy, so long as you realise that, even if diamonds break 3-3 (against the odds), you only have nine tricks. You simply play ♦A

immediately and then play ♠K. Even when the opponents switch to trumps, you cannot be prevented from ruffing your losing spades.

I am asked periodically about the odds of a suit breaking in a certain way. This knowledge is principally useful to declarer when planning for bad trump breaks.

With four cards outstanding, they will break: 3-1 50 per cent, 2-2 40 per cent, 4-0 10 per cent; five cards outstanding: 3-2 68 per cent, 4-1 28 per cent, 5-0 4 per cent; six cards outstanding: 4-2 48 per cent, 3-3 36 per cent, 5-1 15 per cent, 6-0 1 per cent. Figures have been calculated to the nearest whole number.