DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

This week’s deals treat the defenders’ second-hand play. A defender in second seat often plays low, but the game would be no fun if “often” meant “always.”

Today’s East has thrown in a featherweight one-heart overcall, so West leads the nine against 3NT. Declarer plays low from dummy and takes the ace. At Trick Two he leads the eight of diamonds.

If South has a singleton diamond, the contract will surely fail whatever West does. If South’s diamonds are J-8, he is sure of five diamond tricks. So West should assume that South has 8-x.

If West plays low, declarer will let the eight ride. East must take his jack, and declarer wins the black-suit return, leads a second diamond to the queen, and takes four diamonds, three spades, a club and a heart.

West must play “second hand high,” putting up his king on the first diamond. If South wins, he loses his link with dummy and can’t use the diamonds. If he ducks, West leads his last heart for East to run the hearts.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ AKQ5 ♥ A64 ♦ 87 ♣ A 8 7 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one spade and he rebids two diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: This is a matter of philosophy. Experts tend to blast into games but investigate for slams; a losing slam means the painful loss of a game bonus. Hence you might bid three clubs, forcing, to hear more from partner. The alternative is to bid six diamonds and dare the defense to beat it.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable