Declarer play at bridge is almost akin to being a detective — declarer tries to collect as much evidence as possible from the bidding and the play ahead of a crucial decision, and then bases his or her play on what the evidence had shown him to that point.

On today’s hand in Figure 1 the opponents passed throughout, so declarer had to collect the evidence during the play of the hand.

South opened 2NT and North bid a value 6NT — this was a straightforward power auction to the best contract. West led the Queen of spades.

After dummy appeared, declarer noted that the maximum number of tricks available to him was 12, and then only if he could make five clubs tricks.

Declarer was a careful player and decided to gain as much information as possible about the defensive hands before tackling clubs. As he would always have to lose a spade trick, declarer let the Queen hold the first trick, a thoughtful and key play in the search for the shape of the opposing hands.

After winning the spade continuation with the King, declarer cashed the Ace of spades followed by his three heart winners. This revealed that West had begun with five-five in the major suits, making it highly unlikely that West had three clubs, as that would leave East with nine diamonds!

Declarer turned this into a certainty about West’s maximum possible club holding by cashing the Ace of diamonds: once West followed with a diamond he could have at most two clubs.

So, declarer led a low club from hand to dummy’s king. When West discarded a spade, declarer claimed 12 tricks on the marked club finesse. See the full hand in Figure 2.

Of note is that even if both defenders had followed to the three top hearts, declarer’s best play would still have been a low club to the King on the first round of the suit, since the spade break had marked East with more space for the club Queen than West.

• David Ezekiel can be reached on davidezekiel999@gmail.com

BRIDGE CLUB RESULTS

Friday, September 15

North/South

1. Jane Smith-Sancia Garrison

2. John Burville-Joseph Wakefield

3. Jack Rhind-Molly Taussig

East/West

1. Martha Ferguson-Judy King

2. Diana Diel-Stephanie Kyme

3. Diana Downs-Charles Hall

Monday, September 18

North/South

1. Gertrude Barker-Jane Smith

2. Stephanie Kyme-Joseph Wakefield

3. Sheena Rayner-Aida Bostelmann

East/West

1. Louise Rodger-Molly Taussig

2. Patricia Siddle-Diana Diel

3. Lorna Anderson-Heather Woolf

Tuesday, September 19

1. Jamie Sapsford-Jane Downing

2. Tracey Pitt-Desiree Woods (Tied 2nd)

3. Jean Schilling-Catherine Kennedy (Tied 2nd)

Wednesday, September 20

North/South

1.Tony Saunders-Charles Hall

2. Tim Mardon-Desmond Nash

East/West

1. Gertrude Barker-Jane Smith

2= Sheena Rayner-Molly Taussig

2= Greta Marshall-Heather Woolf

Thursday, September 21

1= Rachael Gosling-Margaret Way

1= Martha Ferguson-Charles Hall

3= David Petty-Delton Outerbridge

3= Gertrude Barker-John Glynn

3= Elizabeth McKee-Diana Diel