DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

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

The trump suit is supposed to be declarer’s inviolable domain, but defenders can often manufacture surprise trump tricks. In an “uppercut,” a defender ruffs with a trump intermediate, forcing declarer to overruff to his cost. In a “trump promotion,” declarer must either ruff a defender’s lead low and suffer an overruff or ruff high and strengthen a defender’s trump holding.

Some uppercuts are not too obvious. In today’s deal, West leads the K-A of spades against four hearts. Since South is sure to have the ace of clubs for his opening bid, West gives up on taking anymore side-suit tricks. The defenders’ only chance lies with the trump suit.

At Trick Three, West leads the queen of spades. East can see that the defenders’ only remaining tricks will come in trumps, so he ruffs his partner’s high spade with the ace of trumps. Then South loses a trump to West’s jack and goes down.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ J 108654 ♥ 873 ♦♣ A K Q 6. Your partner opens one club, you bid one spade and he raises to three spades. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner has a hand worth about 17 points with four-card spade support. Your hand is potent: You have a sixth spade, fitting club honors and first-round diamond control. Bid four diamonds, an ace-showing cue bid to show slam interest. A minimum hand for partner such as A K 9 2, 4, K 6 5, A 10 8 5 2 will make six spades.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable