DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

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

A friend has a teenage daughter who struggles with math. She says she wants to write a letter: “Dear Math: I wish you’d grow up and solve your own problems.”

Every player needs an elementary knowledge of percentages: how missing cards in a suit are likely to divide. Today’s North- South bid boldly to slam, and West leads a diamond. South wins, cashes the ace of clubs, ruffs a club in dummy and discards his last low club on the king of diamonds.

Dummy next leads a trump. When East follows low, what is South’s percentage play?

If the missing hearts are split 2- 2, South can flip a mental coin, playing the king or jack as the spirit moves him. If East has Q- 8- 5 or A- Q- 5, South can’t gain by finessing with the jack: He will always lose two trumps.

South should put up his king of hearts. His play is significant only if West has the singleton queen. DAILY QUESTION You hold: points), and the next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: Most expert partnerships use “transfer” response to 1NT, and this would be awkward to handle without them. Bid two hearts, asking partner to transfer to two spades. Then raise to three spades or, if vulnerable, four spades. Discuss transfers with your favorite partner before you adopt them. South dealer N- S vulnerable