BRIDGE >> By Frank Stewart

If at first you don’t succeed, find out if second place wins anything. A dummy-play principle: When you can succeed by setting up either of two long suits, retain the option of trying both.

Today’s West led the ace and a second trump against six spades, a start that looked good for the defense. In fact, it wasn’t, but South went down anyway. He next led the king and another diamond.

West discarded, and South took dummy’s ace and tried the hearts: A-K and a third heart. This time East showed out, and declarer was short one entry to dummy to set up and cash the fifth heart. He ruffed one club in dummy and threw one on the queen of diamonds but lost a club at the end.

NOT EASY

South must try the hearts first: A-K, heart ruff, club ruff, heart ruff. Then he can take three diamonds to discard a club and pitch his last club on the good fifth heart. If hearts broke 5-1, South could still try the diamonds, succeeding if that suit broke 4-2 or 3-3.

This week: which suit?

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ KQ10 ♥ AK732 ♦ AQ763 ♣ None. You open one heart, your partner bids one spade, you jump to three diamonds and he returns to three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Don’t get carried away. Your jump-shift was forcing to game and promised great strength, so you need only bid three spades now. If you have a slam, your partner can get you there, but if his hand is weak — which is quite possible — you need to rest no higher than game. East dealer

N-S vulnerable