Bridge Play

I continue a series on suit establishment. I believe that many players focus on bidding, especially on conventions, and spend too little time on card-play technique.

In today’s deal, dummy played low on the opening club lead, and East took the ace and shifted to a trump. South won in dummy, took the ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond, led a trump to his hand and ruffed his last diamond. But then he was stuck in dummy, and when he led the king of clubs, East ruffed. South also lost two spades and went down.

How would you play four hearts?

SPADE LOSER

With apologies to mule lovers, there is more than one way to skin a mule — and more than one way to set up a suit. Here, South can rely on a loser-on-loser play. He draws trumps and leads the jack of clubs: queen, king. When East discards, South leads the nine of clubs and pitches a spade.

Then South can pitch another spade on the high eight of clubs. He ruffs one diamond in dummy, losing a diamond at the end plus two clubs.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 932 ♥ K 10 9 6 4 ♦ A75 ♣ J 4. The dealer, at your left, opens one diamond. Your partner doubles, you respond (“advance”) one heart and he then bids one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: Since your partner doubled for takeout before bidding his suit, he has substantial extra strength: at least 17 points. If your hand had been any stronger, you could have jumped to two hearts to invite game. Bid four spades.