DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

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

A defender must often make assumptions. His goal is to defeat the contract, and if the cards must lie a certain way for him to succeed, he must assume that they lie precisely that way.

In today’s deal, West leads the deuce of diamonds against South’s four spades: three, king, ace. Declarer then leads the ace and a second trump. When West takes his king, how should he continue?

Losers: East’s play of the king of diamonds denies the queen, so West knows that declarer has no diamond losers. Declarer has no heart losers either; if he needs a finesse, it will win. So West’s only chance to beat four spades is to take two clubs — and a ruff.

West must assume that his partner has the ace of clubs and shift to the king and deuce of clubs. When East wins and returns a club, South goes down.

It takes four tricks to beat a major-suit game. Don’t lose sight of basic ideas.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ A10862 ♥ 82 ♦ AQ6 ♣ J 9 3. Your partner opens one heart, you bid one spade, he rebids two hearts and you try 2NT. Partner then bids three diamonds. What do you say?

Answer: Your partner’s bidding suggests six hearts, four diamonds and minimum values. If he held 4, AK J 953, K J 43, A 4, his second bid would have been three hearts or two diamonds. Since most of your honors look useful, jump to four hearts. Partner may hold 4, AK 107 53,KJ54,76.

North dealer

N-S vulnerable