Daily Bridge Club

Simple Saturday

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

When a golfer sets up to hit a shot, he’s in no hurry; the ball isn’t going anywhere. As declarer, take your time. Plan before you play.

At today’s four spades, you have four possible losers. You can avoid a heart loser by forcing out the ace of diamonds to set up a discard from dummy. But if you start the trumps at Trick Two, you will go down. West will win and lead a second heart, setting up a winner before you have your discard.

ENTRY

Moreover, if you win the first heart in your hand and lead a diamond, West may duck, win the second diamond and lead a heart. Then you’ll be stuck in dummy with no entry to your hand for the good diamond.

Win the first heart with the ace and lead the queen and another diamond. Take the next heart in your hand and pitch dummy’s last heart on the high diamond. Then you can ruff your last heart in dummy and start the trumps safely.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ K Q 10 7 3 ♥ K83 ♦ KJ 4 ♣ 7 2. Your partner opens one club, you respond one spade and he bids 1NT. What do you say?

ANSWER: Your partner has a good 12 to a poor 15 points with balanced pattern. Your hand is worth about 13 points, and your pattern is also balanced, hence just raise to 3NT. It’s possible you might belong at four spades if partner has threecard support, but to look for a spade contract would be speculative at best. South dealer N-S vulnerable