Simple Saturday

Saturday, September 28, 2019

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

As declarer, plan before you play a single card. Count your winners or losers or both. At a suit contract, count losers, especially at the level of game or slam when you won’t have many losers.

At today’s four hearts, South faces four losers: one in spades and diamonds, maybe one in trumps, one impending in clubs. To avoid a club loser, South can set up a second spade trick to pitch a club from dummy.

CLUB TRICK

Say South wins the first club with the ace and finesses in trumps. When West wins, he continues clubs, setting up the defenders’ club trick before South has seen to his discard.

South must wait to lead trumps. He wins the first club in his hand and leads a low spade. West wins, but South wins the club return, cashes the queen of spades, comes to the ace of trumps and discards dummy’s last club on the ace of spades. He then leads a second trump safely.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: A63 A10732 KQ K 9 5. Neither side vulnerable. The dealer, at your right, opens one spade. What do you say?

ANSWER: To act isn’t completely safe, but you can’t afford to pass with a hand this strong; you might miss a game. Many experts would double for takeout. To overcall 1NT with only one spade stopper is possible but risky. An overcall of two hearts would be my choice, though I would prefer a longer or stronger suit. South dealer N-S vulnerable