I try to avoid putting really complicated hands in the column – this one does not quite hit the “really complicated” bar but it needs some concentration.

The hand (see Figure 1) is essentially a difficult declarer play problem, but there is instructional value all over it, almost in all the bidding and play, so try and follow along as closely as possible.

West decided to pass his hand which is not unreasonable as he feels he can always bid at his next turn – that plan went away when he heard North open a spade! South made a normal two hearts bid and, when North bid 2NT, South found the truly atrocious bid of four hearts when he should have bid 3NT with his eyes closed.

So four hearts became the final contract and South had to try and make up for his bad bidding.

West led the Ace of spades and continued with the King on which East discarded the club seven – West now cleverly led a low spade to shorten declarer’s trumps and was lucky to find partner with a trump on the bidding – East ruffed and South overruffed.

Declarer now went to draw trumps and when East showed out on the first round he had a problem – if he draws all the trumps he has no way back to hand for the Jack of diamonds – can you work out the winning play?

You will be able to do it if you think about the bidding – West passed with five spades to the AKQ so he cannot have the club King – and that was confirmed by East’s first discard so that card was clearly with East. With that knowledge can you work it out?

Declarer did – he cashed all four hearts and on the last one he discarded the Ace of clubs from dummy! He now cashed the three top diamonds and this was the position (see Figure 2).

Now when he leads the ten of clubs, East has no answer! Brilliant play and a great recovery by South – and I’m grateful to him for bidding badly, without which there would be no hand for this column!

• David Ezekiel can be reached on davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, August 1

1 Martha Ferguson/Judy King

2 Sancia Garrison/Jane Smith

3 Richard Gray/Wendy Gray

Monday, August 4

1 William Pollett/Linda Pollett

2 Diana Diel/Patricia Siddle

3 Aida Bostelmann/Sheena Rayner

Tuesday, August 5

North/South

1 Tracey Pitt/David Leach

2 Malcolm Moseley/Finn Moseley

3 Ian Boatman/Muna Vallis

East/West

1 Julia Tadman/Joshimar Hussey

2 Edward Ferrari-Willis/Heidi Dyson

3 Gareth Cooper/Maximilian Santiago

Wednesday, August 6

1 Gertrude Barker/Jane Smith

2 Betsy Baillie/Sharon Shanahan

3 Linda Pollett/William Pollett

Thursday, August 7

1 Martha Ferguson/Judy King

2 John F W Glynn/Rachael Gosling

3 Ross Cooper/Scott Gilbertson