DAILY BRIDGE CLUB:

“Simple Saturday” columns are meant to help advancing players improve technique.

The most basic principle: It’s best to get to play last. Declarer may do well to force the defenders to lead at a crucial stage, but he must also see that they have nothing safe to lead.

Today’s declarer ruffed the second diamond and led a trump, and East took his ace and led the ace of diamonds. South ruffed, led a club to dummy and returned the jack of hearts. East’s king covered, and South then lost two hearts to West.

Declarer wants the defenders to break the hearts. After he ruffs the second diamond, he leads a club to the ace, ruffs a diamond, takes the king of clubs and ruffs the last club. South then leads a trump.

As it happens, East is end-played when he wins. If he leads a minor-suit card, South discards a heart and ruffs in dummy. If instead East leads a heart, South plays low, and when West takes the queen, he is endplayed.

DAILY QUESTION: You hold: ♠ K1062 ♥ J54

◆ K74 ♣ A K 6. Your partner opens one spade, and you respond 2NT, a conventional forcing raise. Partner next bids three hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s bid of a new suit shows a singleton there, letting you judge whether you have fitting cards. Most of your points are “working,” so slam is likely. Cue-bid four clubs. If partner cue-bids four diamonds, you will try five clubs or five diamonds.