Test Your Play

There is no need to take the club hook, a practice finesse if there ever was one. For openers, you have nine tricks if the hearts come in, and even if they don’t, you will still make the contract if East has the ♣K.

Win the ♣A, cross to dummy with a heart and assuming West shows out, cash dummy’s 13th diamond along with the two remaining heart winners before exiting dummy with the last heart to East. Dummy remains with two low spades and you remain with the ♣Q 10. East, club flush, will exit with a low club. Since you can’t make this if West has the ♣K, go up with the queen.

You have to find a way to get rid of your club loser. It is clear that West has the ♦K, and given the vulnerability plus your diamond spots, it is odds on that West has a six-card suit. Also, he might have doubled 1♠ with four hearts. Therefore, what you have to do is squeeze East. Here’s how:

Cross to the ♦Q and ruff a heart. Cash two of your three remaining spade winners, discarding a diamond and a club from dummy, leaving what is almost certainly this end position:

When you cross to the ♦A, East is caught in a ruffing squeeze. If he discards a heart, ruff a heart and dummy is high. If he discards a club, cash the ♣A, cross to your hand with a heart ruff, and take the last trick with your ♣9.