Cape Times

FRANK STEWART BRIDGE

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SIMPLE SATURDAY

“Simple Saturday” columns focus on improving basic technique and developing logical thinking. Learning players can find it difficult to organize their thought processes. True, defenders have much to think about — their head may be swimming with “rules” — but it pays to focus on basic ideas. For instance, to beat a major-suit game takes four tricks.

Today’s West leads a spade against four hearts, and South wins and cashes the A-K of trumps. When West discards, South starts the clubs: He takes the A-K and leads the jack from dummy.

Losers

East should ruff before declarer can discard any more losers on the clubs. East can then see 10 tricks for South: five trumps, two spades and three clubs. The defense needs three tricks in diamonds, so East leads the deuce. When South follows low, the spotlight rests on West. He can also count 10 winners for South, so West should win with the ACE of diamonds and return the ten. Unless East has the K-Q, the contract is unbeatable.

Daily Question You hold:

♠ AK ♥ KJ82 ♦ 9 6 4 ♣ A K J 10. The dealer, at your right, opens one spade. You double, and your partner bids two hearts. The opponents pass. What do you say?

Answer: You must recall that your double obliged partner to respond, regardless of his strength, and he may have a poor hand and poor hearts. You mustn’t bid game. Raise to three hearts. Granted, this situation is awkward because you have limited space available to try for game.

South dealer

N-S vulnerable

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