Spade Heart  Diamond Club
Little Clacton Bridge Club
13th October 2016
Hand 1: A makeable Four Spades?

N-S should reach 4♠ easily by one of many routes. The one shown is for those playing 4-card Majors. Game is high enough on this hand. The Slam appears to depend on the Trump finesse and it is good practice to avoid bidding marginal Slams at Pairs.

A Heart is the obvious lead and those that remember the Basic Rule (Count your Losers and Plan The Play before touching a card in a Suit Contract) will do well here.

You have one Spade Loser (♠ K), one Diamond Loser ( A), two Heart Losers (but they can be Trumped), and two Club Losers (but they can be Dumped on the  AK)

Having done that analysis you can try the Heart Finesse (dumping a Club) then immediately play the ♠ A followed by a small Spade towards the ♠ QJ, and will easily make your contract.