Simple Saturday

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

Part of becoming a capable declarer is learning to handle card combinations in a single suit. “Card sense” — inborn ability — helps, but the skills can be learned.

At 3NT, South wins the first heart with the king. He lacks the time to set up the long diamonds — the defense will get in twice and will use West’s hearts — and even if South took three diamonds, he would have only eight tricks in all. So South must go after the spades, hoping for three spades, two hearts, three clubs and one diamond.

HONOR

Say South leads a spade to the king at Trick Two. When it wins, he must not return a spade to his queen, letting West capture an honor. Instead, South comes to his queen of clubs to lead a second spade. When West must play the ace, South has the tricks he needs.

In a suit combination such as today’s spades, lead twice toward the hand with two honors.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ KJ 32 ♥ 952 ♦874♣ AK 10. Your partner opens one heart, you respond one spade and he bids 1NT. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: You temporized with a one-spade response because your hand was too strong for a raise to two hearts and your heart support was inadequate for a “limit” double raise to three hearts. Bid two hearts. Your partner should treat that bid as showing 10 or 11 points with true heart support. South dealer N-S vulnerable