Simple Saturday

My “Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and developing logical thinking.

A “safety” play is like an insurance policy. You pay a premium — you give up on taking the maximum number of possible tricks — but you protect yourself against a devastating loss.

At today’s six spades, South takes the ace of diamonds, discarding a club, and leads a club to his queen. West politely plays low. How should declarer continue?

LOSING CLUBS

If South leads the ace of clubs next (trying for 13 tricks), West will ruff and lead a trump. South will have two losing clubs but only one trump left in dummy, and the result will be down one. To insure against a 5-1 club break, South must lead a low club at Trick Three. If East wins and leads a trump, South wins, ruffs his last low club with dummy’s queen and wins the rest.

By the way, a trump opening lead, though it looks like a killer, won’t beat six spades. I’ll let you figure out how South can still win 12 tricks.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ Q5 ♥ AK84 ♦ A7654 ♣ 8 7. After two passes, the dealer, at your right, opens one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: A double is possible, but there are some strikes against that action. Your values are minimum. The queen of spades may be worthless for offense, and your partner is a passed hand. If he responded in clubs, your support would be inadequate (and if you ran to two diamonds, you would promise a much better hand). I would pass. South dealer N-S vulnerable