BRIDGE

Winning players, I believe, have sound fundamental skills and avoid silly errors. My 24th book, “Keys to Winning Bridge,” is written for advancing players and focuses on factors that really determine who wins and loses.

At six spades South wins the trump lead and may dismiss the chance of setting up dummy’s flimsy hearts. But his correct play is to cash the A-Q of trumps. When EastWest follow, dummy leads a heart.

If East wins and leads a club, South takes the ace. He draws trumps, gets to dummy with diamond honors to ruff three hearts and wins the last two tricks with a diamond and the good fifth

heart.

The chance of a 4-3 heart break exceeds the 50-50 chance of winning a club finesse.

And if West lacked the king of clubs, he might have led a club, not a trump.

“Keys” was a finalist for the International Bridge Press Association’s Book of the Year.

Question: You hold: ♠ A Q ♥ J7432 ♦ AKJ10 ♣ 65. You open one heart, your partner responds one spade, you bid two diamonds and he returns to two hearts. What do you say?

Answer: Partner has fewer than 10 points and a doubleton heart. With six to nine points and true heart support, he would have raised directly. Two spades might be a better spot, but you lack the strength to act again. Pass. South dealer Neither side vulnerable