Bridge Play Frank Stewart

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and developing logical thinking.

You’re declarer at today’s four hearts. When your partner doubled West’s one diamond and raised your one-heart response, promising a strong hand, you bid game. West leads the king of clubs and continues with the ace and a third club. Dummy’s queen wins. East follows. What do you discard?

Say you discard the queen of diamonds. On the bidding, West should hold the king. You draw trumps and take the A-K of spades, but when West discards, you lose two spades to East.

BLIND SPOT

It’s not easy to see that you can afford to pitch a spade on the queen of clubs. If the missing spades break 3-2, you can discard the queen of diamonds on dummy’s fourth spade later.

As the cards lie, you still succeed. After you draw trumps and take the A-K of spades, lead the A-Q of diamonds. When West wins, he is end-played: He must lead a minor-suit card, and you ruff in dummy and discard your last spade.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 7532 ♥ K10852 ♦ AQ ♣8 5. The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner doubles, the next player passes. South in today’s deal responded one heart with this hand. Do you agree?

ANSWER: I agree. If South had held Q 5 3 2, K 10 8 5 2, A 4, 8 5, his hand would have been worth a game-invitational jumpresponse of two hearts. As it was, South’s queen of diamonds was probably worthless; a minimum response was indicated.