DAILY BRIDGE CLUB

“Simple Saturday” is intended to help aspiring players improve technique and develop logical thinking.

A winning player is not somebody who can pull off a complex squeeze or knows how the cards lie immediately after they are dealt. A winner is somebody who never boots an easy deal.

At 3NT, South won the first heart in dummy to lead a spade for a finesse with his jack. West took the queen and found a good shift to a club. South won in his hand and led the king of spades, but West grabbed his ace and led another club to force out the ace, dummy’s last entry. South never got the nine of spades and won only eight tricks.

A capable declarer sees nine winners and makes sure he takes them. He wins the first heart in his hand and leads the king of spades. If West wins and leads a club, South wins in his hand and leads the jack of spades to West’s queen.

South can win the next club, unblock his 10 of spades and go to dummy’s king of hearts to take the good spade.

Daily question

You hold: ♠ 9532 ♥ K43 ♦ 653 ♣ A 7 3. Your partner opens one diamond. The next player bids one heart. What do you say?

Answer: You have the strength to act, especially since your king of hearts — located behind the heart bidder — should win a trick. To respond one spade is possible, but your best call is a “negative double” to show four cards in spades. Then a bid of one spade would tell partner you have five or more. Discuss negative doubles with your partner. South dealer

N-S vulnerable