This week, a declarer play quiz.

To get to the right answer on these you need to get yourself a cup of tea and focus - I know that is not a luxury afforded to declarer at the table, but this column is offering that to you so take advantage of it (see Figure 1).

South is in 3NT in a Teams event and receives the lead of the spade Queen – making the contract is all that matters.

The first thing for declarer to do here is to identify where to focus, and that is certainly the diamond suit which is where the tricks will come from.

If diamonds are 2-2 the hand is a no brainer, and even if they are 3-1 declarer simply ducks a diamond at trick two and makes the contract with 5 diamonds, 2 spades, 1 heart and 1 club. So now we have established that, the only problem is if diamonds are 4-0 and I’ll give you some time to think about that before reading on.

Ready? These are the two possible problem layouts (see Figure 2).

The key to handling both of these is to start playing diamonds from dummy! So you forget about the heart finesse ( I know you love taking finesses!) and lead a low heart to the Ace at trick two and then lead a low diamond from dummy .

In the first layout, where RHO East has all the diamonds, East is stuck – if he goes up with the queen you have five easy diamond tricks and if he ducks you win the jack and now duck a diamond to East and you have a total of five diamond tricks.

In the second layout East shows out and you play the jack and now West is also caught between two losing options – if she wins the queen you later finesse the 10 and take five diamonds, and if she ducks you return the favour by letting her win the next diamond and once again you get your five diamond tricks. So, with the correct play all roads lead to five diamond tricks .

The actual full deal is shown in Figure 3.

I hope you solved it – or at least enjoyed trying!

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, February 26

1. Bill Pollett & Peter Donnellan

2. Christine Lloyd-Jennings & Betsy Baillie

3. Alan Douglas & Jane Smith

Monday, March 1

1. Gertie Barker & Jane Smith

2. Pat Siddle & Gill Gray

3. Ed Betteto & Charles Hall

Tuesday, March 2

1. Katyna Rabain & Louise Payne

2. Malcolm Moseley & Mark Stevens

3. Angela McKittrick & Janice Bucci

Wednesday, March 3

1. Ed Betteto & Margie Way

2. Charles Hall & Bill Pollett

3. Gertie Barker & Jane Smith

Thursday, March 4

1. Magda Farag & Jane Smith

2. Stephan Juliusburger & Rachael Gosling

3. Misha Novakovic & Margie Way

Friday, March 5

1. Louise Rodger & Pat Siddle

2. Joyce Pearson & Lorna Anderson

3. Aida Bostelman & Magda Farag

Monday, March 8

1. Pat Siddle & Gill Gray

2. Marion & Duncan Silver

3. Gertie Barker & Jane Smith

Tuesday, March 9

1. Jean Schilling & Tim Mardon

2. Richard Keane & Neil Gilbertson

3. Felicity Lunn & Gina Graham

Wednesday, March 10

1. Ed Betteto & Margie Way

2= Greta Marshall & Heather Woolf

2= Gertie Barker & Jane Smih

Thursday, March 11

1. Claude Guay & Sharon Shanahan

2. Jane Smith & Peter Donnellan

3. Charles Hall & Bill Pollett

Friday, March 12

1. Betsy Baillie & George Correia

2. Rachael Gosling & Margie Way

3. Julia Beach & Patricia Colmet