DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

Another sign standing guard at a house of worship in my town: “The church is a gift from God. Some assembly required.”

Today’s declarer had to assemble nine tricks at 3NT. He took the king of spades and counted seven top tricks. Needing two extra clubs, how should he attack that suit?

A 3- 2 break would make things easy. If West held Q- J- 9- 8, Q- 9- 8- 5 or J- 9- 8- 5, South had no legitimate hope. Nor could he prevail if West had a singleton queen or jack. If South began by leading low from his hand, he could capture West’s honor and return a club toward the ten, but then East could put up his honor, blocking the suit, and return a spade to kill dummy’s entry.

Low club: The only holding that mattered was the singleton eight or nine with East. So at Trick Two, South led the ten, planning to let it ride if West played low.

When instead West covered, South won in dummy and returned a club to his seven. Whether West won that trick or not, South could get the four clubs he needed.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ K 7 ♥ A 4 3 2

♦ A K 6 4 ♣ 10 7 3. You open one diamond, the player at your left overcalls one spade, and your partner doubles ( negative). You bid two hearts, and partner raises to three hearts. What do you say?

Answer: You started with 14 good points, but the bidding can change the positional value of honors. Here, your opponent is likely to have the A- Q of spades, so your king, located in front of his hand, has lost value. Pass. South dealer

N- S vulnerable