DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

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

One aspect of suit play is “trump control.” Declarer needs enough trumps to control the play so he can set up and cash side-suit winners. If he draws the defenders’ trumps so they won’t be a threat, he must take care to draw the right number.

At four hearts, South wins the second club and wants to draw some trumps. If he goes to the ace and leads a second trump, West will take the queen ... and the king. Then South can ruff only one spade in dummy, and he loses a spade and goes down.

South will do best to draw exactly two rounds of trumps. Then he can tend to his other business, ignoring the missing high trump.

At Trick Three, South plays a low trump from both hands. He can win the club return, take the ace of trumps and continue thus: K-A of spades, spade ruff, ace of diamonds, spade ruff, diamond ruff, good spade. He loses only to West’s high trump.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ Q983 ♥ KQ7

◆ K75 ♣ 9 8 3. Your partner opens one heart. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: In theory, this hand is slightly too heavy for a direct single raise, showing six to nine points. Still, judgment is allowed. The distribution is flat, and the hand has no aces. Bid two hearts. Nothing is wrong with having a tad extra.