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If the clubs are 3-2 then nine tricks should be available but the opponents might be able to generate five winners first. The first thing to do is to duck a club. When the spade comes back you cash all your diamonds and then, like a dentist, extract West's last club before exiting with a heart. Only if one opponent starts with four spades, three clubs and A are you likely to lose five tricks.

Quite simple really - once you think of it.

16/03/2026: The DDA for this deal confirms that 3NT can be beaten, but it's very double dummy., Carrying the dental analogy a little further, the winning defence is for West to extract declarer's heart before he can exit with it! Imagine he cashes it at trick one and then the defence plays only on the minor suits! They can afford to play spades once, but the ace must not be released before it has the king or queen "attached". Eventually South must lose two clubs, one heart and two spades.
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