Two hands today, and both will require a bit of thought and avoidance of an “automatic” play — use that hint as you try and solve them.

The first hand is one where experience counts for a lot.

The bidding has gone one NT by South, three NT by North — you are East, partner leads the two of Hearts and you see this dummy:

NORTH

♠Q98

♥63

♦86

♣AKQ852

EAST

♠743

♥AK75

♦Q97

♣973

Over to you ... What’s the problem you say? Cash the top Hearts and lead back a Heart!

Hmmmmm ... the full hand:

♠Q98

♥63

♦86

♣AKQ852

♠10652 ♠743

♥J982 ♥AK75

♦A1042 ♦Q97

♣10 ♣973

♠AKJ

♥Q104

♦KJ53

♣J5

Yes dear, horrible isn’t it ? — declarer wins the third Heart and rattles off another nine tricks — contract made with an overtrick.

Now you see it — you must win the Ace of Hearts and return a LOW one, catering for just this situation — declarer will almost certainly misguess — down one.

There is little downside to this play — if partner started with Q982 you will still get four Hearts and a Diamond — all you do is give your side another chance.

Now that you see what is needed, I’ll give you Hand 2 as a double dummy problem, where you see all four hands:

Dealer East – N/S Vulnerable

♠J1092

♥98

♦K8

♣109762

♠K87 ♠AQ3

♥AJ10 ♥75

♦7432 ♦QJ1096

♣K84 ♣AQ3

♠654

♥KQ6432

♦A5

♣J5

East opens one Diamond, you as South bid two Hearts (usually shows a six-card suit in a non-opening hand) and West closes the auction with a bid of three NT … partner leads the Heart nine, over to you! And think before you play, try and construct West’s hand.

The reflex play is the Queen of Hearts which ends the defence — West will duck and now there is no way to beat the contract, as there is no communication left in defence.

Your only hope on this hand is that partner has the Diamond King — if West has it you know there is no beating the hand — so at trick one you duck the Heart nine, forcing declarer to win and, importantly, leaving partner with a Heart.

Now when declarer plays Diamonds, partner wins the first round and play another Heart and you force out the Ace — at this point Declarer will probably take his eight winners and concede one down — if he plays another Diamond, he will go down two.

The lesson from this? Think at trick one, avoids reflex plays, try and reconstruct declarers hand and figure out what you need partner to have to defeat the contract. Not a lot!

The next set of Beginners Bridge Lessons will start on Monday, September 14 from 6.45pm to 9pm and run until the end of March with a break for Christmas. Message bridgelessons@bermudabridge.com for details and registration.

David Ezekiel can be reached at davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS August 7-13

Friday August 7

1. Tony Saunders/Patricia Siddle

2. Margaret Way/Jane Smith

3. Stephanie Kyme/Diana Diel

Monday August 10

1. Rachael Gosling/Margaret Way

2. Martha Ferguson/Judy King

3. Patricia Siddle/Diana Diel

Tuesday August 11

North/South

1. Sally Irvine/Sandra Ogden

2. Ian Boatman/Muna Vallis

3. Felicity Lunn/Barbara Elkin

East/West

1. Richard Bruton/Chris Van Rooyen

2. Sharon Andrews/Dorea Grant

3. Gareth Cooper/Maximilian Santiago (Tied 3rd)

3. Jean Schilling/Eldon Lewis (Tied 3rd)

Wednesday August 12

North/South

1. Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

2. Jack Rhind/Lisa Rhind

East/West

1. Stephanie Kyme/Erika Jones

2. Elizabeth McKee/Rachael Gosling (Tied 2nd)

2. Louise Rodger/Molly Taussig (Tied 2nd)

Thursday August 13

1. Gertrude Barker/John F W Glynn

2. Stephanie Kyme/Charles Hall

3. Sharon Shanahan/Claude Guay