DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

You don’t need a photographic memory to play bridge — and some people who have one are apt to leave their lens cap on anyway — but when you have a guess, to count out the defenders’ distribution may help.

At today’s five clubs, South grabbed dummy’s ace of spades and let the nine of trumps ride. West won and cashed a spade. East threw a diamond, and West shifted to the queen of diamonds.

Declarer took dummy’s ace, drew trumps with the jack and eight, and led a heart to his jack.

Down he went when West had the queen.

South should make his game. After he takes the ace of diamonds, he ruffs a diamond, leads a trump to dummy and ruffs the last diamond with the ace. West discards a spade.

South then has a complete count: West had six spades, two diamonds and three trumps, hence two hearts. To lead a trump to dummy and finesse with the jack of hearts won’t help even if East has the queen. East will still get a heart trick. South must take the A-K, hoping West has Q-x.

DAILY QUESTION You hold: S 7 3 H A K J

3 D 2 C A Q 10 7 6 4. The dealer, at your right, opens one diamond. You overcall two clubs, the next player bids two diamonds and two passes follow. What do you say?

ANSWER: To pass might be right. Partner might have length in spades and diamonds and no tolerance for either of your suits. Still, to let the opponents play in comfort at the two level when they’ve found a fit is a losing approach. Be an optimist and bid two hearts.