Bridge Play

Common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden. Neither does “card sense,” an ability to mentally manipulate an array of cards.

Today’s South smelled a vulnerable game and jumped boldly to four spades. West led the king of hearts, and East took the ace and shifted to the king of diamonds.

South played low, won the next diamond, drew trumps and was in sight of 10 tricks: He led a club to dummy’s ten. East’s king won the defenders’ third and last trick.

DEFEAT

I’ll give East’s defense a hearing. South would taste defeat if East had better card sense. East knows the defense needs two heart tricks to prevail. Even though he has touching honors, he must lead a low diamond at Trick Two, hoping West has the ten. When South draws trumps and loses the club finesse, East leads his last low diamond, and West wins and cashes a heart.

Some people are born with card sense. If you feel you were not, don’t fret. You can develop it through study and practice.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: KJ94 J9 95

A Q J 10 6. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: I would commit to game. The J-9 of hearts is an encouraging holding, and the clubs will provide winners. Respond two clubs. If partner rebids two hearts, try two spades. If your hand were K J 9 4,

J 9, 9 5, A J 4 3 2, you could not afford two forward-going bids. Your correct response would be one spade to look for a fit in the major.

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