NEXT week a large group of locals will again wend their way to the ACBL Summer Nationals which are being held in Atlanta, Georgia. The event ends on the last day of the month.This week’s hand is a good lesson in the declarer play, and also highlights the different thinking for IMPs (Teams) play and for pairs.North (dummy)

<$f"ZapfDingbats">|0xab|A J 7 4

[heart]A K J 3

[diamond]7 2

[club]6 3 2

South (you)

<$f"ZapfDingbats">|0xab|K Q 10 9 2

[heart]7 6 4

[diamond]A 5

[club]A 9 5

West North East South

<$>— 1[club] Pass 1[spade]

Pass 2[spade] Pass 4[spade]

Pass Pass PassYou are playing in a Teams contest and West leads the diamond king — plan the play (trumps break - 3/1).

You have seven top tricks outside of hearts so you must bring in the hearts for three tricks, not four. You must make a safety plan in hearts. The play should follow these lines:

Win the [club]A, cash the [spade]A and [spade]K, and even if there is a spade outstanding, cash the [heart]A and [heart]K.

If the queen does not fail, return to the closed hand via the [spade]10 and lead up to the [heart]J.

If West has the queen or the suit breaks 3-3, you have three heart tricks with the [spade]J as the entry.

Besides winning whenever West has the [heart]Q with any length plus when hearts beaks 3-3, you also win when East has Qx.

The full hand:North (dum my)<$>

[spade]A J 7 4

[heart]A K J 3

[diamond]7 2

[club]6 3 2

West East

[spade]8 5 [spade]6 3

[heart]10 8 5 2 [heart]Q 9

[diamond]K Q J 6 [diamond]10 9 8 4 3

[club]K J 4 [club]Q 10 8 7

South (you)

[spade]K Q 10 9 2

[heart]7 6 4

[diamond]A 5

[club]A 9 5If you had needed four heart tricks, you would lead a heart to the jack, hoping West had Qxx. The play of the heart suit depends upon:

1. The number of tricks you need.

2. The form of scoring.

If you are playing IMPs, as in this problem the safety play is clearly right. If you are playing matchpoints where overtricks are precious, take the heart finesse. If it loses you still survive if hearts are 3-3 (a 68% survival rate) and if the queen is onside third (18%), you make an overtrick.

LATEST RESULTS

Bermuda Bridge Club

Monday afternoon, July 4: <$>1. Peggy Sinclair-Peggy Thompson, 2. Pat Siddle-Vivian Siddle, 3. Wendy Gray-Richard Gray.

Monday evening, N/S:<$> 1. David Sykes-Sally Sykes, 2. Anthony Saunders-Joseph Wakefield, 3. Judith Bussell-Mark Richardson. E/W: 1. David Pereira-Barry Rahman, 2. Roman Smolski-Vera Petty, 3. Anthony Buckley-Dorothy Buckley.

Wednesday afternoon, N/S: 1. Wendy Gray-Richard Gray, 2. Marilyn Simmons-Barbara Huntington, 3. Gertrude Barker-Stephen Ball. E/W: 1. Sheena Rayner-Elizabeth McKee, 2. Vera Petty-Roman Smolski, 3. Greta Marshall-Lynanne Bolton.

Wednesday evening, N/S: 1. Patricia Colmet-Annabella Fraser, 2. Peggy Thompson-Jim Leitch, 3. Alice Palmer-Gwen Christensen. E/W: 1. William Butterworth-Ernest Paynter, 2. Mark Richardson-Dee Griffiths, 3. John Evans-Judith Evans.

Friday, N/S: 1. Donna Leitch-Jim Leitch, 2. David Pereira-Judith Bussell, 3. Anthony Saunders-Lyn O’Neill. E/W: 1. Michael Bickley-Harry Kast, 2. Jean Bath-Charles Hall, 3. Rachael Gosling-Craig Hutton.