DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

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

Maybe you’ve heard of the “Rule of 11,” which is useful to defenders. If your partner’s lead is fourth- highest, subtract it from 11. The remainder is the number of higher cards that dummy, you and declarer hold.

Today’s West leads the six of spades against 3NT: seven, ten, king. South leads a club to dummy and returns the jack of diamonds, as though about to take a finesse. If East ducks, South can next cash four clubs and win a heart finesse with the jack, making 3NT.

The Rule of 11 tells East that he, dummy and South have five spades higher than West’s six, and after Trick One, East has seen all five. Since South has nothing else in spades, East must grab his ace of diamonds to return a spade, refuting South’s deceptive play.

( West may have led from a four- card spade suit, but if he has the A- Q, he can have no other high cards on the bidding.) DAILY ANSWER: In “Standard” methods, respond two clubs, planning to show your heart support next. In a style where a new- suit response at the two level is game- forcing, you must bid 1NT and jump in hearts next. It’s true that telling partner you have club values may help him judge your prospects; that is one ! " # $ style. South dealer N- S vulnerable