I’ve been playing a fair amount of online bridge of late and this weeks hand had me following a recent, and well publicised, ‘tip’ from one of the stars of the world of bridge, Zia Mahmood .Zia’s tip relates to finesses where declarer plays an unsupported (ie non-touching) honour from one hand and right hand opponent doesn’t cover — Zia’s view is “if they don’t cover they don’t have it”!Sounds simple enough but it really does come up time after time in declarer play decisions and ever since I read his article it seems to come up even more often!Take this hand from last week;Board 3. E/W Vul. Dealer South.K9763Q98787Q6A2AJ106563KJ87I opened a heart . my partner bid a very aggressive 3 hearts and I bid an even more aggressive 4 hearts! The contract is actually not bad and is cold if East has the heart king.West, a fairly good player, led the Ace of Clubs and, despite East discouraging with the two of clubs continued with a second club, won by dummy’s queen. The lead puzzled me and just had me thinking that perhaps West had a hand where all other leads were less appealing- and that suggested strongly a Kx holding in hearts (with Kxx he may still have led a heart) . I locked this thought away and now played the heart queen from dummy and East played low- I was at a crossroads!If the heart finesse worked the contract makes comfortably but if it didn’t the likely diamond switch results in down one. I decided to believe East and went with the Zia theory ... I went up with the Ace of hearts and now played the club jack ...The full hand;K9763Q98787Q6Q108 J54K2 43AJ95 KQ1042A954 1032A2AJ106563KJ87When West followed one diamond went away and another diamond went away on the Club King …. East ruffed but it was all too late and all the defence made was the Club Ace, the heart king and the Club ruff … 4 hearts making!Notice that this would work even if West had a doubleton club to start and Kx of hearts as he has to ruff with the king and the diamond goes away.So, remember this tip … Zia makes it clear that this relates to an unsupported honour not being covered … if dummy has, for instance QJxx and RHO doesn’t cover the queen this rule does not apply as the correct play is not to cover .