Win the queen of clubs with the king, discarding a diamond, and continue with the ace of clubs. Then:

1. If East ruffs, overruff, cash the ace of spades, and lead the queen through West’s king. West must play the king of spades on this trick or the next one, whereupon you ruff in dummy and lead a trump to the ten to score the rest of the tricks.

2. If East discards a spade on the ace of clubs, trump the ace, play the A-Q of spades as before, and take a trump finesse. Then cash your remaining spade or spades, cross to dummy with a diamond to the king and ruff another club, reducing your hand to the A-K-J of trump and nine of diamonds. Now play a diamond to the ace, lead anything at all from dummy and East’s Q-7-6 of trump succumb to your A-K-J.

3. If East discards a diamond on the ace of clubs, discard your nine of spades and take a trump finesse. Then return to dummy with a diamond and repeat the trump finesse. After you cash the A-K of trump, this becomes the position:

North

[S] 5

[D] A 7

[C] 8 5 4

West East

[S] K 10 [S] 8 6 4 3 2

[D] Q 10 [D] J

[C] J 10

South

[S] A Q J

[H] 4 3

[D] 9

When you now play the four of hearts, West can discard the ten of clubs as dummy also discards a club, but when you next play the three of hearts, West finds himself in dire straits. He is caught in a three-suit squeeze, and no matter which suit he discards, you make the rest of the tricks.

Tomorrow: The bidding points the way.