Happy New Year to all my readers. As always I wish you wonderful things at and away from the bridge table for 2014 and beyond. The wonderful things at the table will include a kind, good looking and expert partner who compliments your every play and buys you drinks, finesses that work, cards that lie well and opponents who choose to make all their mistakes at your table. I also wish for you ... the ability to think.

With that in mind, take a look at this hand:

(Spades / Hearts / Diamonds / Clubs)

North: Q85 / AJ3 / AJ63 / K62

South: AK9 / K10 / K952 / AQJ3

The bidding was short and sweet. South opened 2NT which for this pair showed 20-22 HCP and North made the conservative jump to 6NT, not a bad choice given his flat shape and lack of 10s and 9s.

So now, what I am asking you to do is answer two questions:

Can the hand be made with certainty and if so, how?

We start by counting what we have for certain ... three spades, two hearts, two diamonds and four clubs for a total of 11 tricks. Since you need 12 you are looking for one more and that can either come from diamonds or hearts, but which one?

Some will take their chance on one or the other by playing a low diamond to the king and a low one back towards the AJx if West follows the contract is guaranteed by putting in the jack as even if this loses there are still two diamond tricks to come. If West shows out on the second diamond declarer now has to hope the heart finesse works.

Do you like that play?

It’s not bad but do you have anything better? What if I told you that you can guarantee the contract making. Can you figure out how?

Need another hint? Concentrate on the diamond suit.

Enough hints, here is the solution. If diamonds are 3-2 you always have at least three diamond tricks and can try for a fourth with the finesse - easy.

If diamonds are 4-1 or 5-0 you can still make it if West (LHO) has the long suit as the finesse will work - easy.

So, the only danger is if East (RHO) has Q10xxx or Q10xx. Now if you play a low diamond to the king you are dead, so how do you proceed? Not easy.

Cash the Ace first and lead a low diamond and if East (RHO) plays low, put in the nine. This guarantees the hand. If West (LHO) wins, the diamonds are breaking and all is well. What if East (RHO) shows out on the first or second diamond? Simple. Win the king and lead up to the jack. West is helpless, try it.

The full hand:

(Spades / Hearts / Diamonds / Clubs)

North: Q85 / AJ3 / AJ63 / K62

East: J1064 / Q98 / Q1087 / 85

South: AK9 / K10 / K952 / AQJ3

West: 732 / 106542 / 4 / 10974

So to recap: win the club lead, cash the diamond Ace and lead a low diamond inserting the nine when East plays low - success. It doesn’t help East to play the 10 on the second diamond as that lets you set up another trick.

Not easy, but then why would I start the year off with an easy one.

Again, happy New Year.