Bridge

“Simple Saturday” columns are meant to help aspiring players improve basic technique and develop logical thinking.

Today’s South’s 2NT shows a balanced 13 to 15 points with stoppers in the unbid suits. Some pairs treat the bid as invitational: 11 or 12 points.

West leads the queen of spades. If South takes the king, he must guess the queen of diamonds for the contract. But since South has at least nine potential winners without one in spades, he can instead execute a holdup play: He ducks the first spade to break the defenders’ communication.

If West continues spades to set up his suit, South finesses in diamonds through West. If East wins, he won’t have a spade to lead, and South will have four diamonds, three hearts, a spade and two clubs.

If West shifts to a heart at Trick Two, South wins in dummy and lets the jack of diamonds ride: an avoidance play. Even if West could win, South would have nine tricks, and his king of spades would be safe from attack.