Simple Saturday

Daily Bridge Club

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

When you are declarer, you may see that only one defender can lead something that will hurt you. “Avoidance” is the technique of keeping that “dangerous” defender from gaining the lead.

You are declarer at today’s four spades. West leads a heart, East plays the ten and your ace wins. If East gets in and leads a diamond through your king, you may lose three tricks in the suit. But as long as West is in, you are safe and can eventually pitch a diamond loser on dummy’s fourth club.

TRUMP LOSER

If you lose only two diamonds, you can afford to lose a trump. Lead a club to dummy and return a trump. If East plays the eight, play the nine, passing your possible trump loser to West, the “safe” defender.

If he leads another heart, you ruff, draw trumps with the A-K and run the clubs for a diamond discard. Then you can try for an overtrick by leading to your king of diamonds.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold :♠ J♥ Q 9642 ♦ A97 ♣ 9 6 5 4. Your partner opens one spade, you respond 1NT and he bids two hearts. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: This hand is much stronger than its seven high-card points suggest. It has a fifth card in hearts, a side ace and a “working” jack in partner’s first suit. Raise to four hearts. Your partner will have a good chance even if he holds a minimum opening bid such as A 10 7 6 5,A J10 3,3,A 3 2. South dealer N-S vulnerable