Simple Saturday

Saturday, September 21, 2019

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

After you’ve played bridge for a while, you may get the feeling that a variation of Murphy’s Law applies: “Things that seem to be going right are there just to give you a false sense of security.” As declarer, allow for adversity.

At today’s 3NT, South played low from dummy on the first heart. If West had led from the queen, as was likely, South might make overtricks. But East produced the queen and shifted to a low spade: ten, queen, three. West’s spade return forced out the ace.

DOWN THREE

South next led a heart to dummy and let the ten of diamonds ride, but West played low. When declarer repeated the finesse, West won and shifted to the jack of clubs, and South ended up down three.

Whatever can go wrong, will. South must win the first heart with the ace and finesse in diamonds. West takes the king, but when South gets back in, he has nine winners to cash.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: J943 AK6 10 5 A Q 6 2. Your partner opens one club, you respond one spade and he next bids two diamonds. What do you say?

ANSWER: Partner’s two diamonds is a “reverse” that has made it impossible for your side to play at two clubs if you had a weak hand but liked clubs better than diamonds. Hence, partner has a strong hand, and slam is possible. Jump to four clubs to suggest excellent club support and slam interest. North dealer N-S vulnerable