Should you turn this way or that?

For many years, The Bridge World magazine has included a quiz called “Playing Suit Combinations” by Fred Gitelman and Jeff Rubens. Now 66 of them have been put into book form with the same title (Bridge World Books). The 96 pages begin with advice on how to analyze combinations, followed by the testyourself section.

In today’s deal, how should South play in either six hearts or seven hearts after West leads the club queen?

Gitelman was a world champion in 2010 but is best known for being the architect of Bridge Base Online (bridgebase.com). Rubens is the editor of The Bridge World. He represented the United States in the 1973 Bermuda Bowl, is a member of the American Contract Bridge League’s Hall of Fame and is one of the game’s leading theorists.

If North uses some form of Blackwood, he will learn that the heart king (or perhaps an ace if employing Roman Key Card) is missing and will stop in six hearts (or six no-trump).

In six hearts, you can afford one trump loser, but not two. You should start by cashing the ace. If you collect only the eight and the nine, cross to dummy and lead a heart, looking carefully at East’s card. If he plays the jack, cover with the queen; if he wins with the king, play low; and if he shows out, gnash your teeth quietly because you are going down!

In seven hearts, though, you must hope that either East has king-doubleton or West has jacksingleton. Immediately play a heart to your queen.