DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

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

The trump suit is supposed to be declarer’s domain, and defenders often neglect to look to trumps as the source of a key trick.

Today’s South plays at four spades. Many pairs use “transfer” responses to 1NT, and South might bid four hearts, letting North declare at four spades. On many deals, it would be better to make North declarer, so the opening lead would come around to his high cards.

West leads the ten and a low heart. East takes the jack and leads the king, and South ruffs with the ten.

If West overruffs with the jack, South wins any return and leads his nine of trumps, finessing against West’s king. South takes the rest and makes his game.

A defensive principle: Avoid an overruff with a trump that will be a winner anyway. If West discards instead of overruffing on the third heart, his K- J- 8 of trumps will ripen into two tricks.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: ♠ 3 2 ♥A K J 8 7 ♦9 5 2 ♣J 7 3. Your partner opens one diamond, you respond one heart and he bids one spade. The opponents pass. What do you say?

ANSWER: This is a judgment call. A rebid of two hearts would be risky; partner might pass from fright with a singleton or void. A return to two diamonds might reach a good contract. I would choose a bid of 1NT. I would prefer a solid club stopper, but I would want to suggest the balanced pattern. North dealer Both sides vulnerable