DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

The North American Championships feature many activities for newer players. At the Summer NABC in Atlanta, I spoke to a roomful of nice people on “logical thinking.” Today’s deal was one I presented.

In a matchpoint event, South sticks out his neck to balance with three clubs — an action I wouldn’t endorse. The defense starts with the A-K and a third diamond, and East ruffs and leads a spade, won by South’s ace.

If South can pick up the trumps, he escapes for down one; minus 100 may not be a disaster. But if South goes down two, minus 200 on a partscore deal will be a matchpoint zero.

South knows that East had two diamonds and had only four spades for his one-spade response. If East had four hearts, he would have responded one heart, showing his four-card suits “up the line.”

So declarer can place East with 4-3-2-4 distribution. Declarer can confidently lead a trump to dummy’s ace and then let the 10 ride.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ 7432 ♥ K53 ◆ Q 105 ♣ A 10 4. Your partner opens one club, and the next player doubles. What do you say?

ANSWER: If your opponent had passed, you would respond one spade to look for a fit in the major. But after the double, which suggests spade length and strength, your chances of finding a spade fit and the desirability of playing at spades decrease. Bid 1NT to give partner a picture of your hand.