One of the toughest things for players to do when they are progressing in the game is to actually, voluntarily give tricks to the opponents when they are playing a hand.

As one gets better, giving the opponents what belongs to them should become an integral part of your declarer play, especially if you give up the tricks at the right time.

Today’s hand is at the very simple end of when you should use this play, but it is a good starting point to illustrate how you can force the opponents to help you.

The contract was four hearts and West started by cashing the Ace-King of spades and then switching to the diamond Queen. It is clear you have one diamond to lose so you have to find the Queen of clubs in order to make the hand.

Since West has already shown up with ten points, it looks as if East should have the club Queen, but there is no reason to guess, let the opponents solve the problem for you!

Win the diamond, draw trumps, cash the second diamond and exit with the losing diamond — this is now the position:

West is now forced to lead a club or give you a ruff and discard by leading a diamond or spade — contract made!

Take a look at this hand more than once — absorb the certainty that you have a diamond loser, appreciate that the opponents giving you a ruff and discard is always good for you, and the giving up of the diamond trick becomes easy to understand.

The next set of Beginners Bridge Lessons will start on September 14, 2026 at 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

Friday July 17

North/South

1 Jane Smith/Sancia Garrison

2 Molly Taussig/Magda Farag

East/West

1 Betsy Baillie/Heather Woolf

2 Diana Diel/Stephanie Kyme

Monday, July 20

1 Sancia Garrison/Stephanie Kyme

2 Elizabeth McKee/Margaret Way

3 Sheena Rayner/Magda Farag

Tuesday, July 21

North/South

1 Heidi Dyson/Jean Schilling

2 Tracy Pitt/David Leach

East/West

1 Ross Cooper/Desiree Woods

2= Joshimar Hussey/Julia Tadman

2= Eldon Lewis/Barbara Harrington

Wednesday, July 22

1 David Cordon/Annabelle Mann

2 Linda Pollett/William Pollett

3 Sheena Rayner/Molly Taussig

Thursday, July 23

1= Stephanie Kyme/Charles Hall

1= William Pollett/Linda Pollett

3= Richard Bruton/Chris Van Rooyen

3= John F W Glynn/Magda Farag